Welcome to our daily roundup of the latest business and economic news from Scotland.

1. An ambitious £8 billion offshore wind farm is on the brink of receiving final approval from the Scottish government, paving the way for construction to commence in line with 2030 environmental objectives.

SSE Renewables, the entity behind the Berwick Bank project, highlighted that it has been nearly two years since the application for consent was submitted to Holyrood.

Last year, significant infrastructure in East Lothian received approval, and planners in Northumberland have just confirmed the necessary grid connection and transmission infrastructure.

However, the project still awaits the final decision from the Scottish government, with plans for construction off the East Lothian coast.

Project director Alex Meredith emphasized the urgency of a swift decision so they can submit bids for the upcoming UK government contracts for difference power auction.

The UK government has recently committed to accelerating decisions pertaining to renewable energy initiatives.

During his tenure as first minister, Humza Yousaf expressed his desire for decisions on Scottish projects to occur within a 12-month timeframe.

2. A team of researchers has created a novel device aimed at reducing the risk of blood clots in surgical patients.

This innovative wireless sensor can be placed under bandages or compression stockings, allowing a handheld device to measure the pressure applied.

Involved in the project are Philip Hands from the University of Edinburgh, and Professor Marc Desmulliez, Vasileios Mitrakos, and Lisa Macintyre from Heriot-Watt University. They have secured £75,000 in funding from Scottish Enterprise to explore the formation of a spin-out company.

Hands remarked, “Typically, patients awaken post-surgery to find they are in compression stockings that often fit poorly. Our device offers a discreet solution that measures pressure, enabling easy adjustments to stockings or bandages. We believe this straightforward, cost-effective device has vast potential.”

3. A new chairwoman has been appointed at Scotland Food & Drink, coming from a strong background in the food and drink industry.

Pamela Scott, who dedicated 28 years to Diageo as the global operational excellence director, succeeds Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, founder of the Genius gluten-free brand who served since 2021.

Scott has also held roles at Scottish Leather Group and James Donaldson Group. She stated, “Our mission is to keep Scotland’s food and drink industry at the center of a vibrant economy and to ensure a sustainable, profitable future.”

4. Primark has officially announced the opening of its 21st store in Scotland, located at Glasgow Fort, slated for next month.

The new store will cover 33,500 square feet across two floors and create 200 job opportunities.

Gavin O’Reilly, Primark’s area manager for west Scotland and Cumbria, confirmed that the store is set to open on December 5, expressing excitement among the team.

The retailer’s inaugural Scottish outlet opened in Hamilton in 1975 and continues to operate.

5. Residents of Orkney are benefiting from improved broadband speeds achieved through the island’s water supply infrastructure.

CloudNet, the contractor, has employed existing conduits on Papa Westray instead of installing new lines, delivering fibre broadband through a secondary pipe intersecting with the drinking water lines under the government’s R100 connectivity initiative.

Richard Lochhead, the business minister, praised this “ingenious” method, describing it as a minimally disruptive solution for providing faster connectivity on Papa Westray.