Highland councillors approve Sutherland Space Hub

An artist's impression of Space Hub Sutherland

Plans for a satellite launch facility in Sutherland have been approved by councillors.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) wants to build the satellite launch site on peatland on the Moine Peninsula near Tongue.

Highland Council had received 457 objections to the plans and 118 representations in support of them.

The councillors' decision will be referred to the Scottish government for review.

Impact on the environment and risk to human health are among the reasons for the objections.

Local community councils have supported the project because it is expected to create new jobs.

Among the council officers' planning conditions is a requirement for launches to be limited to 12 per year.

Reasons for this include the amount of plastic and metal debris falling into the sea during rocket launches.

Twelve would see an estimated five tonnes of carbon fibre reinforced plastic and seven tonnes of metal alloy dropping into the sea each year, according to the officials' report.

An artist's impression of the entrance to Space Hub Sutherland

HIE has said by the year 2024 the space port would support 177 jobs across Scotland - 139 in the Highlands with more than 40 of these posts in and around the launch site.

HIE has approved up to £17.3m in funding towards designing and building the space hub. HIE would contribute £9.8m, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority £5m and the UK Space Agency £2.5m.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is involved because of its work to help create new jobs to replace those lost from the eventual closure of the Dounreay nuclear power site near Thurso in Caithness.

Designed by Norr Architects, the facility would comprise a launch control centre, a single launch pad and associated infrastructure, including roadways, fuel storage, office premises and antennas.

Orbex, a UK company building rockets for carrying small satellites into space from the site, described the approval from Highland councillors as "landmark".

It said the first orbital spaceflight from the UK had come "a step closer".