A new £30m development including a cinema, gyms, bars, restaurants and housing is to be built in Perth.

Announced by deputy first minister John Swinney as he visited Perth Concert Hall yesterday, the Mill Quarter development will be located on the site of the Thimblerow car park.

It is expected to create more than 150 jobs and over 350 construction and supply jobs, while attracting over 300,000 visitors every year.

The multi million pound project was secured by Perth and Kinross Council and helped by collaborative marketing undertaken by the Scottish Cities Alliance, a partnership between Scotland’s seven cities and the Scottish Government.

Expresso Property has been selected by Perth and Kinross Council as the preferred developer for the project.

Mr Swinney said: “If Scotland’s cities thrive so too does the rest of the country, and I am pleased to announce this exciting new £30 million venture for Perth.

“By providing a unique new destination for restaurants, retail and leisure, the Mill Quarter development will boost the local economy by creating jobs and attracting visitors to the area.

“The Scottish Cities Alliance provides a single point of contact for potential investors to access all seven Scottish cities. This success clearly signals the benefits of our cities and the Scottish Government working together in partnership. I am delighted that this is the first deal to be done, and I hope it will be the first of many.”

Councillor Andrew Burns, chair of the Scottish Cities Alliance said: “This is a fantastic result for the city of Perth and my congratulations go to everyone involved in bringing the deal to fruition.

“Of course, it’s also a demonstration of the great benefits to be gained from partnership working between the seven cities, with our recent presence at investor events such as MIPIM clearly paying dividends.

“I am quite sure that, thanks to our ongoing collaboration and, in particular, to the development of the Investment Prospectus, we can look forward to attracting many more major investments from across the globe.”

Councillor John Kellas, convener of enterprise and infrastructure committee at Perth and Kinross Council, said: “Expresso Property’s proposals will provide a welcome addition to the City’s local economy, driving additional employment and adding to the spend potential across the entire City Centre.

“As the population grows, a development of this nature further establishes Perth as a city in which to invest, work and live in, and is an embodiment of Perth and Kinross Council’s Perth City Plan.

“The location of the development will be of extra significance, as we begin to witness the emergence of an attractive cultural quarter within the city.”

Nicholas Robinson of developers Expresso Property Limited added: “We are delighted to have been selected to create this new leisure quarter making it an ideal location to live, relax and entertain in the heart of the city.

“We are particularly focused on developments in Scotland. We have been impressed by the support given by local government and their agencies in making things happen.

“That forward thinking has been crucial in establishing the real business case for this development here in the heart of Perth and we are now excited to get the project underway.”

@scottishcities

@PerthandKinross