Critics hit out at soaring launch plans for UK’s first spaceport in Highlands

Up to 40 launches a year could take off from Britain’s first spaceport, say official documents put before planners.

The total is nearly seven times more than locals at a remote Highland peninsula were first told by the government agency behind the development.

And the size of the rockets are now potentially up to 30 metres (98.4 feet) – almost double previous estimates.

Campaigners fighting the UK’s first vertical launch spaceport say the new proposals will cause alarm in the surrounding area.

The spaceport proposal at a remote township in Sutherland has split the community.

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping report prepared by consultants for spaceport backers, government agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise, has been put before Highland Council.

On its website HIE says: “It is anticipated up to six launches will be carried out annually, with the first taking place in the early 2020s.”

But the scoping document submitted to planners says it will be up to 40.

The £17.3m project is backed by the UK Space Agency, which is also funding two launch firms planning to set up in Sutherland, Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Orbex.

Space Hub Sutherland is planned as a key component of Scotland’s growing space sector, said HIE, which expects 40 high-quality jobs to be created locally.

But the launch site at the Mhoine peninsula is beside the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation, and the Ben Hutig Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The report says: “It is anticipated there could be approximately 40 launches per calendar year.

“Different launch service providers) would provide different LVs. It is expected the largest LV would be approximately 15m – 30m in height and 1m – 2m in diameter.”

John Williams, chairman of the Protect the Mhoine campaign group, said: “People were led to believe there would be up to six launches a year and that the rockets would be 17m high.

“Now we find there will be bigger and more of them as well as now two launch pads.

“I think people are alarmed. Even if they start with six the document shows they have the potential to scale up.”

Local Highland Councillor Hugh Morrison said: “There is a lot of difference between six launches a year and up to 40. We told HIE they had to be honest with people from the start and these figures are at odds with that.”

But Chris Larmour, CEO of Orbex, said: “A very small group of people have publicly made a lot of very silly accusations and statements about Space Hub Sutherland. We welcome all sensible, serious debate…but the claims some campaigners are making are nothing short of baffling.”

A spokesman for HIE said: “Space Hub Sutherland is a hugely ambitious and complex project that is at a relatively early stage of its development.

“The purpose of the current initial scoping exercise is to seek input from statutory bodies and a range of interested parties that will guide a future environmental impact assessment. It is not a planning application.”