The development of the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre is set to reach a major milestone on Thursday 29 January, when its full business case is presented to Scottish Borders Council.

This follows the outline approval granted in 2022 and marks a critical stage in the governance process for the project, which is also being reviewed by the Scottish and UK governments.

Should the business case receive endorsement from both the Council and the governments, it will move to the Borderlands Partnership Board for final sign-off in February.

The Innovation Centre and Trail Lab are supported by a £15 million investment from the UK Government through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal. An additional £4 million may be allocated at a later date for the Tweed Valley Adventure Bike Park. The project is led by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), with support from Scottish Borders Council and Edinburgh Napier University.

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Demolition of the former Caerlee Mill was finalised last year, with chimney stack repairs also complete. Current activity on-site includes utilities works and site investigations conducted by delivery partner Hub South East Scotland and lead contractor Morrison Construction.

The facility is expected to be a significant economic driver, with projections indicating:

• £86 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) over ten years.

• The creation of more than 225 jobs within the Scottish Borders.

• Purpose-built spaces including engineering workshops, brand experience units, research labs, and office suites.

In anticipation of the centre's opening—scheduled for 2027 following a spring 2026 construction start—research and business support activities have already commenced. Edinburgh Napier University has entered into an agreement to deliver services, including the First Tracks programme for start-ups and the Women in the Bike Industry summit.

Academic collaborations are already underway with global partners such as Strava and Trash Free Trails, while work is ongoing with the German Cycle Industry Association (ZIV) to expand market data services.

The wider £350 million Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal includes £150 million specifically for Scottish projects, funded by £85 million from the Scottish Government and £65 million from the UK Government, alongside over £100 million from local partners.