After spaceport rocket plan crashes to earth, Maree Todd MSP hopes ‘Orbex will return to Sutherland’
Maree Todd MSP talked with a Melness crofters group after Orbex shelved its Sutherland Spaceport plan for the area.
The company behind the development and operation of Sutherland Spaceport made a shock announcement at the start of December that it was abandoning the project which had attracted huge investments.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has confirmed that Melness Crofters Estate (MCE) will continue to receive £70,000 a year for the land leased to the government quango. The crofters will continue to receive its rental income "as that is part of the lease agreement," said HIE.
Ms Todd, the SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross said: “I share the disappointment of the community, the Melness Crofters and HIE regarding Orbex’s decision to pause operations for the Sutherland Spaceport.
“Undeniably, this is a setback for the local area. The spaceport has the potential to create much-needed high-value jobs and drive a transformational boost to the economy and sustainability of the far north. With depopulation being a critical challenge for the area, there has been real hope that the port could help reverse this trend while positioning the Highlands as a leading hub for innovation in the space industry.”
HIE leases the site from MCE and the sub-lease with Orbex will run for 50 years, with an option to extend for a further 25 years. Potentially, MCE could receive at least £3.5m over the period for an uncompleted site that may never be used as a spaceport. It is not clear if there are any break clauses in the long leases for either to be terminated.
“Since the announcement, I have met with HIE and Orbex, and have been in contact with Melness Crofters, North West 2045 and Tongue Community Council. I am also working cross-party with my Highland and Islands MSP colleagues as we all recognise the challenges the Caithness and Sutherland communities are facing and want to see a solution that delivers on what was promised to the community.
“Understandably, there are serious concerns about public investment in the project, the associated contractual obligations, and the implications of this decision on the community. There must be full transparency on this.
“I remain hopeful that this is only a temporary pause and that Orbex will return to Sutherland. In the meantime, I remain committed to advocating for the community and ensuring that any future decisions regarding the spaceport prioritise the economic and social benefits originally promised to the far north.”
