Scientists are preparing to use a shipping container to assist in the cultivation of tropical seafood through artificial intelligence on land in Midlothian which once saw a 14th century Scottish battle.
Planners from Midlothian Council have approved the installation of the container at Dryden Farm, Roslin, which is owned by the University of Edinburgh.
A report from the planning officers detailed that the shipping container will serve as storage for equipment that will aid in the “development of AI powered aquaculture systems for growing tropical seafood in Scotland”.
The container, which will be situated on a hard surface adjacent to existing structures at the Roslin site, received approval from planners this week.
Although it is located on part of the site of the historic Battle of Roslin, planners indicated that the container would not affect the former battlefield, and Historic Environment Scotland raised no objections to its installation.
The exploration of employing AI to mimic systems capable of producing seafood has been recognised as revolutionary by the industry, as it seeks to discover methods for sustainable fish farming.
Last month, the Roslin Innovative Centre announced that a company it was collaborating with had secured funding from Scottish Enterprise and other sources, enabling it to progress its technology towards commercialisation.
The centre described the technology as a “groundbreaking, sustainable aquaculture system designed to produce fresh, antibiotic-free tropical seafood locally”.
Granting permission for the shipping container, planners said: “Dryden Farm is a long established development within the green belt and the use and size of the proposed container will ensure that it will not have a detrimental impact on the objectives of the green belt.
“The scale, character and appearance of the unit will be in keeping with the character of the wider farm complex and there will be no impact on the landscape setting of the battlefield site.”
