Melness Crofters' Estate chairwoman hails Court of Session decision over Space Hub Sutherland as a 'game changer'
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The chairwoman of Melness Crofters' Estate (MCE) has hailed the Court of Session's decision not to block planning consent for the Sutherland space port as a "game changer".
Dorothy Pritchard spoke out after it became known last Friday that Danish entrepreneur Anders Holch Povlsen, who owns various estates in Sutherland, had failed in his legal bid to overturn Highland Council's decision to grant planning consent for the £17.5 million facility.
Space Hub Sutherland is earmarked to go on Melness Crofters' Estate ground at a remote site on the A'Mhoine peninsula.
Clothing tycoon Mr Povlsen is a neighbouring landowner and his company Wildland Ltd petitioned for a judicial review of the planning decision.
Ms Pritchard said: "The result is excellent news for Melness Crofters’ Estate and is a game changer for the local community.
"With a declining population and the decommissioning of nearby former nuclear power site Dounreay, MCE sees the space port project as an opportunity to secure the long term future of the community.
"This decision unlocks investment in a project that will create new job opportunities for the younger generation while also attracting new people and investment to the area.”
She added: "We have worked tirelessly with all the stakeholders involved over the last four years to consider every stage of this development.
"Our priority has always been to ensure the close-knit crofting community, its stunning landscape, and native wildlife are protected under a proposal that would make this the world’s first carbon-neutral space hub."
"A hardy group of crofters has worked tirelessly to ensure that Space Hub Sutherland is as sustainable as possible.
"From peat restoration and re-wetting; reusable rocket stages to ensure zero waste on land or sea; minimal fencing; and low-impact floating roads, all have been included in plans to minimise disruption to native habitat and the environment.
MCE now awaits the results of a Land Court hearing which took place at the end of May
If that ruling is also positive, then construction work will begin on Space Hub Sutherland, which received backing from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) in 2018, and became the only spaceport in the UK to win planning permission in 2020.
The space port could see an inaugural space flight launching from land on the Melness Crofters’ Estate in late 2022.
