麻豆精选

Local contractor, Macaulay Askernish Ltd has been appointed by project lead, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to construct the enabling infrastructure at Scolpaig Farm in North Uist to prepare the Spaceport 1 site for an operator.

The Comhairle has secured 拢947k investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (麻豆精选) towards the 拢2.6m cost of the enabling works project and is contributing 拢675k from the Comhairle鈥檚 2023-28 Capital Programme. The work, which is due for completion by Spring 2025, will involve construction of new and upgraded access tracks, parking, culvert upgrades at Loch Scolpaig and fibre broadband installation. Also included, is a study into the potential for the future use and conservation of the cultural heritage assets on the site.

Councillor Paul Steele, Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said:

鈥淏reaking ground at Scolpaig is a considerable milestone for the Comhairle and for Spaceport 1. As the UK鈥檚 only dedicated commercial sub-orbital launch site, Spaceport 1 will enable end-to-end science, technology and space systems development for the first time on British soil, closing a significant gap in the Space value chain.

鈥淭he awarding of the construction contract to a local firm is welcome and will ensure localised benefit throughout this stage of the project. On completion, the spaceport will create employment opportunities in Uist and contribute to the Comhairle鈥檚 wider strategic objectives for the islands.鈥�

Planning consent for the spaceport was granted in 2023, with approval to host up to 10 sub-orbital launches a year. A private sector operator is being procured by the Comhairle to develop the second phase of the project and run the spaceport facility. First lift-off is possible by Autumn 2025.

The project is one of three vertical launch sites that are planned or underway in the Highlands and Islands, along with SaxaVord Spaceport on Unst in Shetland, and Sutherland Spaceport in Melness. 

Kathleen Stewart, 麻豆精选鈥檚 Innse Gall area team leader, said:

鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased to be working with the Comhairle to progress the enabling works, which will support the establishment of a sub-orbital launch site. This is an innovative project that we expect to generate many social benefits and employment opportunities for the Outer Hebrides.

鈥淭his development in North Uist will play an important role in advancing the Scottish and UK space industries while creating high-quality jobs and helping to retain young people and attract more people to live on the islands.鈥�

Spaceport 1 forms part of the Scottish and UK Government funded Islands Growth Deal Programme鈥� a ten-year scheme jointly funded by the three Island Councils and their partners from the public, academic, community and business sectors.

Obair a鈥� t貌iseachadh air Port-f脿nais 1 ann an Uibhist a Tuath

Ghabh planaichean f脿nais Innse Gall ceum air adhart nuair a chaidh t貌iseachadh air a鈥� chiad chuid den obair air raon losgaidh fo-chuartachaidh Port F脿nais 1 air Diluain 18 den t-Samhain.

Chaidh companaidh togail ionadail, MacAmhlaigh Ascernis Earranta, fhastadh le Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, a tha os cionn c霉ise, airson l脿rach Port-f脿nais 1 aig Tac Scolpaig, Uibhist a Tuath, a dheasachadh air choinneamh a鈥� chiad luchd-cleachdaidh.

Fhuair a鈥� Chomhairle 拢947k bho Iomairt na G脿idhealtachd 鈥檚 nan Eilean (麻豆精选)  airson a鈥� phr貌iseict leasachaidh a chosgas 拢2.6m, 鈥檚 tha iad fh猫in a鈥� cur 拢675k ris  bho Phr貌gram Calpa 2023-28. Tha an obair a thathar an d霉il a chr矛ochnachadh ron Earrach 2025 a鈥� gabhail a-steach cruthachadh agus leasachadh air frith-rathaidean, 脿ite-parcaidh, leasachadh shaidhbhearan aig Loch Scolpaig agus bann-leathann fibre a chur an s脿s.   Thathas cuideachd a鈥� dol a rannsachadh ciamar a ghabhas feum d猫anamh dheth, agus d矛on a chur air, na l脿raichean eachdraidheil a tha mun cuairt san 脿m ri teachd.  

Thuirt P貌l Steele, Ceannard Comhairle nan Eilean Siar:

鈥淭ha bhith a鈥� gearradh a鈥� chiad cheap ann an Scolpaig na chlach mh矛le sh貌nraichte don Chomhairle agus do Phort-fanais 1. Mar a鈥� chiad larach losgaidh fo-chuartachaidh coimearsalta, a dh鈥� aona bh脿gh, san R矛oghachd Aonaichte, bheir Port-f脿nais 1 cothrom saidheans bho cheann-gu-ceann, teicne貌las agus siostaman f脿nais a leasachadh airson a鈥� chiad uair ann am Breatainn, a鈥� d霉nadh be脿rn shusbainteach ann an obair leantainneach agus luachmh貌r F脿nais. 

鈥溾�橲 math gur ann gu companaidh ionadail a chaidh an c霉mhnant oir thig buannachdan dhan sg矛re ri l矛nn na h-obrach. Nuair a th猫id a chr矛ochdachadh, cruthaichidh am Port-f脿nais cothroman obrach ann an Uibhist agus cuiridh e taic ri planaichean seasmhachd nan eilean aig a鈥� Chomhairle.鈥� 

Chaidh cead dealbhachaidh don Phort-f脿nais aontachadh ann an 2023 le cothron suas ri deich rocaidean fo-chuartachaidh a losgadh dhan iarmailt gach bliadhna. Tha a鈥� Chomhairle a鈥� s矛readh buidheann cleachdaidh pr矛obhaideach gus an dara 矛re den phlana a thoirt gu buil 鈥檚 am Port-f脿nais a ruith. Dh鈥檉haodadh gun t猫id a鈥� chiad shaideal a chur dhan iarmailt san Fhoghar 2025.

Tha am pr貌iseact air aon de thr矛 l脿raichean bhon t猫id rocaidean a鈥� losgadh d矛reach an 脿irde a thathas a鈥� togail air a鈥� Gh脿idhealtachd sna h-Eileanan, c貌mhla ri Port-f脿nais Saxaford  air Unst, Sealtainn. Thathas a鈥� dealbh l脿rach losgaidh tarsainn airson Mhachaire Th脿nais ann an Earra Gh脿idheal.

Thuirt Kathleen Sti霉bhart, ceannard sgioba 麻豆精选 Innse Gall: 鈥淭ha sinn toilichte a bhith ag obair c貌mhla ris a鈥� Chomhairle gus obair leasachaidh a chur air adhart a bheir taic do st猫idheachadh a鈥� Phort-f脿nais fo-chuartachaidh. 鈥橲 e pr貌iseact 矛nnleachdach a tha seo a tha sinn an d霉il a bheir m貌ran bhuannachdan s貌isealta agus obraichean do na h-Eileanan Siar.鈥�

鈥淐uiridh an leasachadh seo ann an Uibhist a Tuath gu m貌r ri gn矛omhachas f脿nais Alba agus na R矛oghachd Aonaichte, a鈥� cruthachadh obraichean matha, a鈥� leigeil le daoine 貌ga fuireach san sg矛re agus daoine eile a th脿ladh chun nan eilean.鈥�

Tha Port-f脿nais 1 mar ph脿irt de Pr貌gram F脿is Aonta nan Eilean a th鈥� air a mhaoineachadh le Riaghaltasan Alba agus na R矛oghachd Aonaichte - sgeama deich bliadhna a th鈥� air a mhaoineachadh leis na tr矛 Comhairlean Eileanach bhon na roinnean poblach, acadaimigeach, coimhearsnachd agus gn矛omhachais.