The future of Sutherland Spaceport has been given a fresh start after Highlands and Islands Enterprise acquired the assets of the company previously developing the site near Tongue.
HIE has bought the assets of Sutherland Spaceport Ltd from joint liquidators Chad Griffin and Graham Smith of FRP Advisory and will now examine how the development can create jobs and wider economic benefits for the north Highlands.
Sutherland Spaceport Ltd was established in 2020 by Moray based launch company Orbital Express Ltd, known as Orbex, which entered administration in February this year.
The spaceport company subsequently entered liquidation in June, leaving uncertainty around a project that had already seen substantial investment.
The development sits on a 10.4 acre community owned site on the A’ Mhoine peninsula near Tongue, which HIE leases from Melness Crofters’ Estate.
Significant infrastructure has already been created, including a 2.5km floating access road across peatland.
HIE will now work with the local community and companies within the space industry before deciding how the site should be developed.
HIE director of strategic projects David Oxley said:
“The Highlands and Islands is the best region in the UK for vertical launch, boasting a northern latitude, low population density and proximity to the coast.
“All of these features are highly prized by space companies and make Sutherland a prime location for launch.
“Our acquisition of SSL’s assets creates a great opportunity for future development with the potential to create highly skilled jobs and training opportunities on-site and support the growth of supply chain businesses.
“Having acquired these assets, our next move will be to work with the local community and players in the space sector to inform future decisions on how to make the most of the spaceport’s potential to deliver long-term economic benefits.”
Economy, Tourism and Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn described the acquisition as an opportunity to take forward work already completed at the site.
He said:
“HIE’s acquisition of the Sutherland Spaceport ensures that the work undertaken by Orbex can be taken forward to serve as a valuable asset for the local Sutherland community and Scotland’s growing space sector, as well as a significant economic opportunity for the region.
“The north of Scotland is perfectly placed to serve as a focus for the launch market and I look forward to this marking a fresh and successful chapter in the region’s and the nation’s space capabilities.”
The project has already produced benefits for Melness Crofters’ Estate through rental income, despite the spaceport remaining unfinished.
Estate chair Dorothy Pritchard said that income had helped begin an affordable community housing project while supporting the local community centre and community owned church.
She said:
“We look forward to seeing the project progress and to the positive impacts it can deliver for local businesses, communities and the wider economy.”
The collapse of the original developer could easily have left an expensive piece of infrastructure sitting unfinished on the Sutherland landscape.
Instead, HIE now owns the assets and has an opportunity to find a new route forward.
What ultimately launches from A’ Mhoine remains to be decided, but Sutherland Spaceport is very much back in play.
