Scolpaig (Scottish Gaelic : Sgolpaig) is a district on the north-west coast of the island of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. In 2018 it was unsuccessfully proposed as the site of a spaceport backed by the Scottish government. [1] In 2019 it was again proposed as the site of a spaceport. [2]
Scolpaig Tower is a folly that was erected at Loch Scolpaig as part of famine relief works in about 1830.
Lewisian Gneiss rock formations at Scolpaig are unique on the Atlantic coast of Uist, which is predominantly machair and sandy beaches. Striking rock formations, sheer cliff faces and breeding cormorant and black guillemot colonies are to be seen along the coast at Scolpaig.
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In 2019 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the local council) agreed to invest £1m to purchase land at Scolpaig for the construction of a launch facility, in a consortium with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the UK technology company QinetiQ and the consultancy Commercial Space Technologies (CST). [3] [4] Rockets would be launched vertically to carry payloads of up to 500 kg into Sun synchronous and polar orbits. The project was initially promised to create 50 to 70 jobs. [5]
Friends of Scolpaig, formed in August 2019, to oppose the development of a spaceport in the National Scenic Area of Scolpaig. Concerns included the council not consulting with the community prior to spending one million pounds on the project, intention to approve the planning application prior to community engagement and avoiding the requirement to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment. [6]
The Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) objected to the proposal on the grounds that the area proposed for the spaceport is extremely important for wildlife and hosts several protected species that are sensitive to human disturbance and are listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive. These species are given special legal protection. The applicant, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the local council) did not provide an Environmental Impact Assessment. The RSPB stated in their objection that an Environmental Impact Assessment was required. [7]
The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles, sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The islands are geographically coextensive with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. They form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch, the Little Minch, and the Sea of the Hebrides.
Harris is the southern and more mountainous part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Although not an island itself, Harris is often referred to in opposition to the Isle of Lewis as the Isle of Harris, which is the former postal county and the current post town for Royal Mail postcodes starting HS3 or HS5.
Stornoway is the main town, and by far the largest town, of the Outer Hebrides, or Western Isles, and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland.
Balivanich is a village on the island of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. It is the main centre for Benbecula and the adjacent islands of North Uist, South Uist and several smaller islands. Balivanich is within the parish of South Uist.
Alasdair Morrison is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Western Isles constituency from 1999 to 2007.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland. It is based in Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis.
Gravir, is a village on the shore of Loch Odhairn in the Park district of the Isle of Lewis. Gravir is within the parish of Lochs. There is a Free Church, a school and a voluntary fire station in the village. There is also a pier. Most of the plots of land used to be used for crofting, but this has declined in the last 50 years. The road leading to the village is the B8060, and continues on to Orinsay and Lemreway.
Ceann a' Ghàraidh is the location of the ferry terminal on the south-western side of the island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It provides a service across the Sound of Barra to Ardmore on the island of Barra The placename literally means "The head of the garden". This location is so called due to the presence of the old crofting boundary walls, which can no longer be seen.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election was the second one using the 9 wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Each ward elected three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system: a form of proportional representation. A total of 31 Councillors were elected.
Dun an Sticir is an Iron Age broch situated approximately 9.5 kilometers north of Lochmaddy in a loch on North Uist in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. A building was erected on the site in the late medieval period.
Loch Druidibeag is a freshwater loch situated on the island of South Uist, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The loch is near the northern end of the island, to the north-east of Howmore and to the east of the A865 road and south of the B890.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were held on 4 May 2017, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election was the third one using the nine wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Each ward elected three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system: a form of proportional representation. A total of 31 Councillors were elected.
The Sutherland spaceport, also known as Space Hub Sutherland or UK Vertical Launch (UKVL) Sutherland, is a planned spaceport to be located in Sutherland in Scotland. It would be the first vertical launch capable spaceport in the United Kingdom, and operated by a commercial entity. The spaceport is intended to support the Orbex Prime launch vehicle. The spaceport will be located on the A' Mhòine peninsula northwest of Tongue village, Sutherland, Scotland. Groundbreaking occurred on 5 May 2023.
The Sound of Barra is a large ocean inlet or sound situated to the north of the isle of Barra and to the south of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Since 2014 it has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The Sound of Barra is composed of 98.91% marine and inlet areas, 1.07% mudflats and other semi-submerged areas and 0.02% sea cliffs and islets. There are ten islands in the sound, with only Eriskay still being inhabited:
Barraigh, Bhatarsaigh, Eirisgeigh agus Uibhist a Deas is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Beinn Na Foghla agus Uibhist a Tuath is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar took place on 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. The election was the first to use the nine wards created under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 which allowed for single and dual member wards, with 29 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 2, 3 or 4 members, using the Single Transferrable Vote electoral system, a form of proportional representation. Following a boundary review the number of wards will increase from nine to 11 while the number of councillors elected will fall from 31 to 29.
The Vatersay Causeway is a 250-metre-long causeway that links the Scottish Hebridean Islands of Vatersay and Barra across the Sound of Vatersay.
57°38′56″N7°29′06″W / 57.6489°N 7.4850°W
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