Space / Campaign group critical of spaceport’s engagement with local community
- Local councillor says he did not recognise the criticism levelled at the spaceport
- SaxaVord did not engage in SpaceWatch UK’s ‘field work’
A CAMPAIGN group challenging the exploitation of space has criticised SaxaVord Spaceport – saying they are more interested in promoting to politicians and industry than forging better links with the local community.
SpaceWatch UK was in Shetland in May this year to garner local views on the Unst-based spaceport, which is set to become the first in the UK to launch rockets into space, possibly even later this year.
In its 20-page report, published today (Monday), SpaceWatch acknowledges widespread local support for the spaceport but said they also detected “significant reservations about a number of issues which were important to the local community”.
However, a local councillor representing the area said the “negative aspects of the report” were not something that he recognises.
SaxaVord Spaceport itself did not participate in SpaceWatch UK’s “field study” and also declined to comment on its findings.
SpaceWatch said they spoke to 13 local people during their visit, with all conversations held on a non-attributable basis due to “certain sensitivities”.
Peter Burt, one of the report authors, added: “We were unable to speak with young people, crofters, or representatives of the Unst Community Council during our visit.
“SaxaVord Spaceport was invited to take part in the study but chose not to do so.”
The report said residents in Unst gave two examples to support their opinions: ·
- suspension of construction work at the SaxaVord construction site in August 2023 ·
- and an explosion during the test of a rocket engine in August 2024.
Both were highly visible incidents raising concerns for local people, but over which there had been no direct communication with the Unst community from the spaceport management.
SpaceWatch UK continued by saying that during a recent visit by the UK Parliament’s Scottish Affairs Committee, committee chair Patricia Ferguson praised the spaceport’s community outreach work.
It said she stated that “engagement with the community was also very impressive” solely on the basis of claims made by the spaceport itself.
Burt said the spaceport’s communications with islanders and the public now seemed to be largely through occasional press releases and Facebook, and added that Unst residents feel that this is because spaceport managers would not like what they would be told at open community meetings.
“People on Unst are supportive of the SaxaVord Spaceport and are anticipating the first launch from the site, but there is a deep undercurrent of concern that the spaceport is keeping its distance from the community and is reluctant to speak to local people,” he said.
“SaxaVord Spaceport do need to improve their game, and they could do this easily by taking some relatively simple steps.
“The local people we spoke to expressed a strong preference for community meetings and events as a means of dialogue with the spaceport.”
But local councillor Ryan Thomson said the overwhelming feeling in the community is one of support for the spaceport.
“Having spoken to constituents and while there is always an exception to the rule, there remains optimism about the potential of the project locally,” he said.
“The negative aspects from the report is not something I recognise nor am I getting fed back from the community.”
Registered in Dorset, SpaceWatch UK is a project of Drone Wars UK, and describes itself as campaigning for a “peaceful and just world where governments prioritise investment in human and environmental security”.
Seen as “anti-space” by the wider industry, SaxaVord Spaceport declined to engage with the group’s investigation.
The full report can be found here.
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