6 August 2012 Last updated at 11:54 ET

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh plans £40m revamp

Plans for a £40m revamp of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh are unveiled

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh (RGBE) has announced plans for a £40m revamp project, after receiving £1.5m from the Scottish government.

The government cash will be used to fix glasshouses and build a "decanting" building to temporarily hold plants during for the development works.

The masterplan covers the redevelopment of the north east quarter of the garden.

A detailed planning application for the £40m project will be submitted in 2013.

The masterplan includes using new technology to develop "highly efficient and strong" glasshouses that do not "leak" energy, with a reduction in energy consumption of between 35%-50%.

It also includes revamping toilets, disabled access, modernising labs and building education facilities for college and university students.

Professor Stephen Blackmore, regius keeper for RBGE, said: "Recently we had the welcome news that £1.5m funding was being released by the Scottish government, allowing us to start some essential enabling work.

"However, these works are the all-important first steps in our exciting plans for Edinburgh.

"The masterplan will be one of the most significant developments in our long history, and its development will allow us to secure Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as a globally recognised scientific, public, education and corporate destination for generations to come."

If approved, the full project would be funded by a mix of government funding and fundraising.