SHOCKED locals have branded Orbex’s decision to pause work on the Sutherland spaceport “a hammer blow”.
The surprise announcement that Orbex would be moving launches to Saxavord’s site in Shetland was delivered to all spaceport partners on Wednesday.
The spaceport was intended to be an economic stimulant for the Sutherland area, creating 40 local jobs and 250 in the wider area.
The two sites on either side of Tongue received final planning permission back in early November.
At FMQs following the announcement, the First Minister said he will look into “completely reasonable” concerns around recouping public investment, as the project received £14.6 million in investment from the public sector over several years, including £9m from the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Struan Mackie is a local councillor and chair of the Dounreay Stakeholder Group (DSG). He described the announcement as a “hammer blow” that “came out of the blue”.
He said: “It has left us in a pretty sorry state. Everybody on the political spectrum up here agreed that this a good development for the region.
“You had your MSPs, MPs, and councillors all working hand in glove to try and get this over the line. If you look at all the hurdles that were put in front of it, and were cleared by the spaceport.
“To then see what looks like a pure business decision being the thing that’s derailed it … that’s what is most disappointing about it.”
Sutherland councillor Michael Baird said: “I’m very disappointed. It’s the key jobs that I’m particularly interested in.
“With the downscaling of the Dounreay complex I was greatly relieved that some of these high-powered engineering and technical jobs from there could perhaps gain jobs in the spaceport.
“There has been a lot money spent on it to date, who is going to pay for all that?"
In a statement, Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner said the announcement was “bitterly disappointing”.
HIE’s Caithness and Sutherland area manager Eann Sinclair said: “We had a visit hosted by Orbex which was very useful for the board.”
Sinclair said the HIE board had visited the site as recently as late October, with other local groups present.
He added: “We then had a meeting with Orbex … in Tongue that day when the Orbex chief executive gave us a very upbeat presentation on the company’s plans for first launch in 2025.
“That obviously has changed drastically in the last 24 hours. What we are working to understand is what has changed in that relatively short period.”
Orbex chief executive Phillip Chambers has said he is “incredibly grateful to the Sutherland community” for supporting the spaceport plans.
In Orbex’s view, the move up to Shetland allows them to maintain their first launch plan in 2025.
Chambers added: “The decision to pause construction was not taken lightly."
They did not rule out a return to the A’ Mhòine peninsula, but the news was treated as “unacceptable” to local groups.
Speaking at DSG’s meeting, Trudy Morris, chief executive of the Caithness Chamber of Commerce, said: “We were blindsided by this. It is hugely frustrating and disappointing that this has happened.”
She said continued progress on the spaceport was discussed a matter of days ago, and added: “Our concern is that this site is just going to sit mothballed and tied up that nobody else can use it.
"We will be pushing our public sector partners and Orbex … that the site is actually released. It’s unacceptable that it should sit there, and I’m not convinced that Orbex have plans to do anything else.”
A spokesperson for HIE said the organisation was “deeply disappointed” at the news and would continue their commitment to growth in Sutherland.
As the site’s planning permission has now been approved by Highland Council, it is difficult to change the site for an alternative project.
HIE have said they are interested in looking into other members of the space sector to take over the site.
It remains to be seen what will be done but Orbex may yet pick the project back up in the future.
