Scotland approves SaxaVord launch site
January 21, 2022
By Chris Forrester
The plan to start launching rockets and small satellites from SaxaVord on the island of Uist in Scotland has moved much closer to achievement with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) withdrawing its objections to the scheme.
SaxaVord has still to achieve Planning Permission from the Shetland Islands Council.
SaxaVord chief executive Frank Strang said: “We are obviously delighted that after many months of investigation and diligence, HES has withdrawn its objection and we look forward to councillors making a determination on this nationally and internationally significant project. Shetland has a huge opportunity to lead the way in small satellite launch in Europe and we must move quickly to maintain that advantage for Scotland and the UK.”
Strang said that SaxaVord’s application for Planning Permission is likely to be discussed in the next two to three weeks.
The objection from HES was focussed on the abandoned World War 2 radar station at nearby Lamba Ness.
A HES spokesperson said: “After assessing the additional information we have received we have now concluded that the development will bring public benefits of national importance that outweigh the impacts on the nationally important cultural significance of the monument, and we have therefore decided to recommend that Scheduled Monument Consent is granted and to remove our objection to the planning application.”