Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-22 to 2025-26: major capital projects progress update - August 2025
Information relating to projects with a capital value of £5 million or more which are at the outline business case (or equivalent) approved stage or beyond.
Sector: Rural and Environment
Project: RBGE - Edinburgh Biomes
Business case approved stages: Project will transform the current failing RBGE (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) estate – home to Scotland’s national biodiversity research collections - to a create a world-class facility that will produce climate, economic, wellbeing and environmental benefits, as part of a green economic recovery for Scotland. The Full Business Case (FBC) outlined that the total cost of the project was to be £89.9 million and that the full programme will be completed by October 2027 with the public entrance Glasshouse the final planned phase of work. The Scottish Government funding amounts to £58 million 2021-2026 (Framework agreement is procurement route for project).
Progress at February 2025: A refreshed draft FBC programme covering later phases of the Biomes Programme is subject to review going forward.
Restoration of the Victorian Palm Houses is nearing completion with a handover of the site from contractor back to RBGE in summer 2025. Technical challenges associated with extent of restorative work required to metalwork have now stabilised, but this work alongside the need to individually fabricate each Victorian window, resulted in further programme slippage from spring to summer 2025. Scaffolding surrounding palm houses in process of being dismantled. The infrastructure phase of the programme was completed in early January 2025, which feeds heating and associated services to the palm houses, via the new energy centre, which is scheduled to commence in mid-2025.
A refreshed business case has been prepared to inform potential future capital allocations for the later phasing of works across the programme covering a five-year period from 2026-27.
Progress at August 2025: A refreshed business case has been prepared to inform potential future capital allocations for the later phasing of works across the programme covering a five-year period from 2026-27. The first draft has been considered by Scottish Government officials and a further draft will be submitted in October 2025.
The restoration of the A listed Victorian Palm Houses completed in September and the package of infrastructure works connecting heating and associated services were completed earlier this year, within the agreed programme and budget.
Additional decant space for the internationally important plant collection whilst works are underway, has been made available through the reuse of the Fern house and the Cambridge house. This has provided much needed space for the internationally important living collection. Decant space will continue to present challenges going forward.
As noted in earlier updates, construction inflation continues to affect the Biomes programme.
A project to construct the Energy Centre to heat the glasshouses across the Edinburgh Gardens is now expected to start in autumn 2025, subject to Scottish Government spend approvals processes.
Contact for public enquiries: email: andrew.mackie@gov.scot