A £21million construction contract has been approved to create the connections underpinning a major innovation district being developed in Renfrewshire.

The Glasgow Airport Investment Area project is jointly funded by the UK and Scottish Governments through the £1.13billion Glasgow City Deal and will see new roads, bridges, cycleways and footpaths being built to connect into a site at the centre of the emerging Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland.

Abbotsinch Road will be upgraded and realigned, and a new bridge spanning the White Cart from Wright Street to an approach road off Arran Avenue will offer access for cyclists, pedestrians and Wright Street businesses. There's also a new cycle and pedestrian bridge crossing the Black Cart and an off-road cycle link between Abbotsinch Road and the A8 Greenock Road.

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This will all connect into a 52-hectare site next to Glasgow Airport, which is already confirmed as the location for the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC).

Construction work will ensure the site is ready to welcome its new tenants and provide the perfect investment opportunity, focusing on innovation, research and advanced manufacturing.

Work is set to start on the underpinning infrastructure and environmental enhancements this summer and will be completed in 2020, after councillors awarded the design and construction contract to Wills Bros Civil Engineering Limited.

The Motherwell-based company is currently delivering several infrastructure projects in Scotland, including the Greenhills Road City Deal project in South Lanarkshire. It also recently completed dualling the A9 from Kincraig to Dalraddy and the Inverness West Link, with a three-span bridge over the River Ness.

Final procurement procedures are now being completed on the contract award, which follows a detailed 19-month tendering process.

This considered each bidding businesses' previous experience and technical capability before scoring tenders against factors such as carbon reduction, traffic management and fair working practices.

Almost 60 community benefits are included as part of the contract, including opportunities for apprenticeships, supply chain events for SMEs and support for community projects.

The construction contract award is subject to approval of the Full Business Case by the Glasgow City Region Chief Executives Group.