MSPs show Christmas spirit by joining chorus of voices disappointed by Orbex move to mothball Sutherland Spaceport
Holyrood Notebook by Ariane Burgess
As it’s the festive season, my column this week will focus on an issue that has brought an outbreak of peace and unity to Parliament – at least among the MSPs who represent Caithness.
All of us were profoundly shocked by the sudden announcement by Orbex of its plans to abandon work on the Sutherland Spaceport and instead focus their efforts on rocket construction in Forres and take off facilities in Shetland at SaxaVord.
Like the workers employed on the site, we found out via the media and are working together to seek answers from Orbex to understand from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and in turn the Scottish Government, what they are doing to support the community.
As one community organiser told me: “It’s just the latest disappointment of a white knight promising the world, getting the community whipped up into visions of at last a positive future, then riding off into the sunset when a better offer comes along.”
Orbex had invested a great deal of time, energy and public funds into defending their plans to base themselves in the far north; so the recent about turn in favour of a site owned by one of the chief objectors to the Sutherland plans is particularly perplexing.
The community deserves answers and they also deserve hope. Several of the area’s MSPs have met with both Orbex and HIE to get a better picture of what is in prospect for the site, its workers and the community.
Orbex’s decision to mothball the Sutherland Spaceport has been attributed to financial motivations, following the UK Government’s decision not to support them via the National Wealth Fund. With limited capital resources, the company has opted to focus on developing a new medium-sized launch vehicle called Promixa.
The size of that vehicle means it could qualify for the European Launch Challenge Fund, bringing in investment that could enable development of other vehicles more suited to launches from the Sutherland site.
The company plans to retain its lease and continue paying rent on the Sutherland site and also hopes to retain a member of staff there to provide flexibility for future expansion, but for the community that owns the land and were relying on income from launches to support a range of community development projects, all of this creates a very uncertain future.
While meeting with both Orbex and HIE, I stressed the concerns of the community and the breakdown in trust and I understand a meeting with the Community Liaison Group is scheduled for January.
HIE are keen to explore alternative uses for the site and ensure that public funds are redirected to benefit the local economy. Additionally, there are discussions about potential new funding and support initiatives to help the affected workers and the broader community.
At a meeting last week, I learned that HIE are continuing to support Melness Crofters’ community-led housing and the community buyout of a church building, among other initiatives.
The community’s resilience and unity in the face of this setback is commendable, and I and my colleagues will continue to advocate for transparency and accountability from Orbex and the Scottish Government.
• Ariane Burgess is a Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands.