Sutherland spaceport 'could be key to reversing brain drain'
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THE proposed £17.3 million spaceport in the far north could be "the key to reversing the brain drain trend", local MP Jamie Stone has said.
He was speaking after the Scottish Government decided not to call in the plans for a satellite launch site on the Mhoine peninsula, near Tongue. Ministers said the proposals do not require a decision at national level and should be dealt with by Highland Council, which unanimously approved the plans in June.
Mr Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said: "This is the green light that the far north has been waiting for. It is another big step forward to our goal of securing future local employment prospects.
"I believe that the spaceport could be the key to reversing the brain drain trend we have all been worrying about. More than this, the spaceport will put Sutherland and the whole of the UK at the forefront of space activity."
Mr Stone added: "The obvious next step for the Scottish Government is to ensure we have connectivity and transport infrastructure, including Wick John O'Groats Airport, that will be necessary to support this venture."
The Scottish Government's announcement was also welcomed by Highland councillor Struan Mackie (Thurso and Northwest Caithness), who chairs the Dounreay Stakeholder Group.
He said: "The decision will be of huge relief to all of us that wish to see Sutherland at the very forefront of vertical launch technology. The level of government support is unanimous, with Highland Council, the Scottish Government and the UK government all standing squarely behind the project.
"This is something no other vertical launch site can currently offer and we need to seize this opportunity."
Councillor Mackie added: "As the project clears this final hurdle, the focus must now turn to transitioning these ambitious plans into reality. There is a huge opportunity to create an industry cluster that can benefit Caithness and Sutherland, attracting new businesses to the far north as well as supporting the diversification of our world-class supply chain already present in the area."
Gail Ross, the SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said: "This was the right decision by the Scottish Government not to call it in. Proper scrutiny was applied by the local authority and extra safeguards agreed. This is a huge opportunity for the local area and I look forward to the project moving forward."
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which is behind the spaceport plans, wants to build the site on peatland next to the A838 on the Melness Crofters Estate on the Mhoine peninsula. Objectors are worried about the impact the launches will have on the environment and health, while supporters say it will create jobs and boost the local economy.
The facility will comprise a launch pad, a control centre and associated infrastructure, including roadways, fuel storage, office premises and antennas.
An economic impact assessment commissioned by HIE said the spaceport could support around 250 high-quality jobs in the Highlands and Islands, including 61 in Sutherland and Caithness – 44 of them on site at Space Hub Sutherland.
HIE’s launch partner Orbex has already established a design and manufacturing facility in Forres as a base to make the innovative Prime vehicle that it plans to assemble and put into orbit from Sutherland.
The first launch could be as early as 2022. Once the spaceport is fully operational, it could host up to 12 launches a year.
- Sutherland spaceport gets go-ahead from Highland Council
- Spaceport objectors 'clutching at straws', says Caithness trade union chairman
