Friends of Scolpaig Caraidean Sgolpaig

THESE ARE SOME SOME SAMPLE LETTERS OF OBJECTION TO THE SPACEPORT DEVELOPMENT AT SCOLPAIG

They are offered as assistance to all Friends of Scolpaig. 

Please use any of it as you may find useful. 

It is important that we have as many different letters from as many objectors as possible.

To: Planning Department, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar , Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula, Scotland.

RE.  PLANNING APPLICATION:Ref. 21/00646/PPD-Sub-Orbital Vertical Launch Spaceport Facility at Scolpaig

Head all correspondence -  Application Number - 21/00646/PPD - Spaceport 1.

To be considered legitimate, your full name and postal address must be provided when submitting comments.

Letter 1:

Dear Sir or Madam

I object to the above proposed development on the grounds of the following material considerations concerning the impact on the natural environment together with some relevant observations regarding the tourist industry infrastructure, and economy of North Uist.

I would like to make the following points:

There will be a prejudicial effect on wildlife including birds such as Golden Eagles, Sea Eagles and rare and threatened migrant species including the Corncrake. These birds are incredibly sensitive to any ground activity and will not return to the site. It is unconscionable that the intention is to fire rockets into space during the bird breeding season. This is monstrously insensitive and is an indication of the carelessness and unsuitability of these proposals.

The probability of a detrimental effect on the nesting and breeding of migrant and resident birds at the nearby internationally famous RSPB bird reserve at RSPB Balranald, a mere 5km away from the proposed Space Rocket launch site development. The noise assessment exercise in the EIA concludes that there will be around 65dB heard over the reserve at Balranald. This is extremely loud in such a sensitive place and despite the mitigation proposed in the documentation accompanying the application due to its comparatively short duration will cause significant disturbance, particularly in the breeding season. The noise generated on the actual site will be completely out of character with the site. It is inconceivable that at around 115dB the wildlife will not be scared and rapidly remove from the area. The sonic booms will be heard in North Lewis.

Prejudicial effect on rare British Bumblebees such as the Great Yellow Bumblebee which is on the verge of extinction. There is no information available on the bat population. Such animals do exist on the site.

Prejudicial effect on marine animals including Otters, Dolphins and Whales. The Marine Impact survey and the report with regard to the fishing industry concedes that there are difficulties with recovering debris from rockets and admits that some materials will fall to the sea bed. This is unacceptable. It is certain that the otters at Scoplaig will not remain. These shyest of creatures will not tolerate the proposed level of activity on the site. The EIA report is broadly in line with this assessment.

Prejudicial effect on seabirds which nest and breed in large numbers on several nearby offshore islands.

 Prejudicial effect on wild habitat including a rare and threatened area of North Uist Machair, which is a Special Area of Conservation (www.sac.jncc.gov.uk).

All of the above are to some degree addressed by the Environmental Impact Survey (EIS) commissioned by the Comhairle and due to the reduced scale of the proposals from the previous application for Spaceport 1 all are considered to be of reduced or insignificant impact to the new application. These judgements are highly subjective and give a misleading idea of the impact of this proposed development. Many of the Comhairle’s own policy documents stress the special visual and environmental amentity available  to visitors of all kinds to these islands. The cumulative impact of these proposals will destroy one of the most special places on North Uist by imposing this inappropriate development. The recently approved visitor’s centre overlooking Scolpaig with views to St. Kilda give a far more sensible and consistent approach to sustainable development and will provide employment appropriate to its location whilst becoming a centre for eco-tourism. The fact that the launch site is no readily visible from the visitor centre (when it’s not firing!) does nothing to disguise the obvious contradictions regarding the Council’s development policy. A small wound is as capable of lethal impact as a larger one so the size of the development does not necessarily mirror its impact.

Permanent visual damage to pristine, irreplaceable wild scenic coastline which is currently accessible to and able to be enjoyed by walkers (both locally resident and visitors) every day of the year by the proposed infrastructure development. Scolpaig belongs to all of us. Those who live on the island (s) and those who wish to visit the islands regardless of where they live in the World. We owe it to all of them and of our children not to spend their precious heritage, particularly for some opportunistic short term financial gain. This is not something which affects only the local population and it is a false dichotomy to attempt to separate the views of islanders from those who live elsewhere as has been suggested in some of the public meetings preceding the previous application for Spaceport 1. We have a collective responsibility to preserve these special places. The proposed Spaceport can easily be relocated on sites that have already been developed for such activities.

 An inevitable degree of pollution to the water of the pristine Loch Scolpaig and its surrounding land area. Reassurances are offered by the new plans with regard to pollution control, but it is difficult to believe that given the scale of the activity there will be no run off or other - effect on the water quality at Scolpaig loch given that accidents do happen and that research to date suggests that 10% of rocket launches fail with the resulting threat to the places and people that surround the launch area. It is worth noting that the recently released ’sounding rocket’ from the Firing Range in South Uist failed (safely, according to available information) returning rapidly to Earth.

The recent COP 26 conference in Glasgow resolved that all reasonable precautions be taken to reduce our carbon emissions. Reassurances and vague promises of forthcoming new ‘green’ fuels offer no guarantees and the Spaceport wherever it is situated, will make a substantial contribution to our carbon emissions.

It is further suggested that the Spaceport will create a number of well paid jobs. The total number of jobs likely to be created is listed as 12 FTE’s (full-time equivalents). Some of these jobs are specified but there is no information as to where these jobs will be located – on or off the islands and there is no infrastructure planned to house personnel on the proposed site at Scolpaig. In all likelihood such jobs that will be on offer to local people will be menial and low paid. These 12 FTE jobs are insignificant and can easily be found in other areas of the economy.

Permanent loss by industrialisation of the irreplaceable, unrivalled and visually stunning vista as seen directly from the public road, the Hebridean way cycle route and numerous well used walking tracks, which is currently available to be enjoyed by everyone. This precious vista includes the official “National Scenic Area” of both Loch Scolpaig (with its important scheduled monuments and Beinn Scolpaig with views across the sea to several beautiful offshore islands. The EIA, due to the reduced footprint of the development has ‘scoped out’ an assessment of the visual and landscape impact of these proposals. This is preposterous (although very convenient for the developers).

It is true that the scale of the actual launch-pad and associated infrastructure is slightly reduced, but this in no way will affect the movement and situation of large vehicles in and around the site. The large lorries require are expected to carry rockets, fuel and other essential items. They will make a notable contribution to noise and air pollution. The proposals suggest that 10 launches a year will each produce around 4 days of activity on the site. This means that even if the schedules are not affected by the weather or other factors there will be a minimum of 40 days where large vehicles will be accessing the site which will resemble an open construction site..

The likelihood is that the launches will take place during the tourist season due to weather considerations. Any thought of access to the surrounding area will be compromised with onerous security implications surrounding access. There are no facilities planned for ‘space tourists’ and the area in and around the site will become chaotic. The additional traffic will affect the infrastructure of small roads with passing places to an unreasonable level. Promises by the developers to ‘contribute’ to the cost of road repairs are unconvincing. The proposed management and policing of the traffic around the site will unduly stress the rural nature of these roads and inconvenience all islanders and visitors.

The growth of tourism throughout Scotland is led by the Highlands and Islands. This is based on access to high quality, unspoilt environments. The current report available from outside agencies to the Comhairle on both the growth of tourism and the projected population are both outdated and the growth of tourism, if properly managed and properly provisioned, will encourage many more visitors to the Islands leading to a growth in employment. The lessons learned from the Pandemic strongly suggest that many jobs can be created with a proper understanding of the potential of interconnectivity and working from remote centres. These activities are far more appropriate to an island context, than an industrialized and probably militarized environment.    

Places are known by their names and Scolpaig Spaceport will become the definitive name for this industrial development. This affects what we know of Scolpaig. The appreciation that we have of landscapes is holistic and we are informed by our knowledge and understanding the nature of a place. We know that Scolpaig is a place where we can connect with nature. We are informed by the opportunity to see birds and animals in their natural environment and that a major part of our appreciation of such places is our understanding that these places are unspoilt, and are a part of the natural environment that we are able to freely engage with. Our knowledge of the site is informed by its history and the fact that there are many historic remains in the area, some of which are scheduled monuments. These experiences will be denied by the knowledge that this is now a ‘Space place’ It is not the case that by looking in the opposite direction to the Spaceport that we can pretend that it doesn’t exist. The noise of its activites (which have been dismissed as ‘negligible’) will impact our consciousness ( not to mention scaring every living thing).  The presence of a Spaceport will erode the value of everything that we know, understand and value about Scolpaig.

Should the proposals be accepted it is likely that we will see the further militarization of the Outer Hebrides. There is a major presence on South Uist and visible infrastructure on North Uist and even St Kilda. In addition to the observations made above it has recently become clear that one of the partners involved in the proposals are Russian based. The Comhairle does not need to be reminded of its responsibilities to the people of Ukraine and the free world but this fact alone must disqualify this application. The fact that this is a company that is engaged with the military application of rocket technology further confirms this. The Comhairle has explained that it is entitled to apply to itself for these proposals which it compares to far less invasive building projects. The process may be legal but it is without ethical propriety- all of the reports that have been offered in support of the application have been commissioned by and paid for by the Comhairle on their behalf as the Senior partner in the proposals.

All of the above will drastically and negatively affect the natural environment which will never recover. Much is made of the fact that the Comhairle owns the site at Scolpaig Farm (regardless of how this was financed). We may think we own something in our lifetimes - but such vanity is meaningless over a longer time scale. Such considerations are crucial in such a precious location and should this development go ahead the Council will be responsible for the ruin of its biggest asset and be responsible for the despoliation and ruin of this unique place in order to ostensibly gain something now only to deny it to future generations.

 Yours Sincerely