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MSP Ariane Burgess calls for clarity on whether government's £20m investment in Orbex will benefit the Highlands





An MSP has said she is disappointed that Orbex is not reconsidering the future of the mothballed Sutherland Spaceport site after being awarded £20 million from the UK Government.

Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess is now calling on the Forres-based aerospace company to clarify whether the new investment will benefit the Highlands and Islands.

Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess.
Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess.

Orbex announced in December that it was mothballing the £20 million Sutherland Spaceport project and would instead launch rockets carrying satellites from SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst, Shetland.

The company received public funding for the Sutherland Spaceport, from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and the UK Space Agency.

There was a huge backlash against Orbex following the announcement.

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Ms Burgess said: “It is crucial that we understand how this investment will benefit the Highlands and Islands.

“I urge Orbex to clarify whether these funds (the new investment) will support the growth of their manufacturing operations in Forres, which could provide much needed jobs and economic stability to the area."

She continued: “While this is good news for Shetland and Moray, it’s disheartening that this funding has not led to a rethink of the Sutherland site.

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“The Sutherland spaceport project was not just about launching rockets; it was about creating sustainable economic opportunities and combating depopulation in the North Highlands.

"The abrupt decision to halt the Sutherland Spaceport plans has had a severe impact on the local community, with workers learning of their job losses through the media.

“The decision also undermines the efforts of the Northwest 2045 collective to revitalise the region and build a sustainable future.

“The Sutherland Spaceport project included plans to build 14 homes, which would have provided stable, well-paid jobs and a brighter future for local schools and community-led housing developments.

“The decision to shift focus to SaxaVord, a site in which the main objector to the Sutherland spaceport, Anders Hoch Povlson, has invested, raises questions about the fairness and transparency of the decision-making process.”

The investment in Orbex is the form of a convertible loan – a type of debt that can be converted into equity.


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