It may have seemed like a small step for Forres firm Orbex when rejigged plans for a Sutherland spaceport were approved this week.
But Highland business leaders reckon the decision could be a giant leap for a “fragile” part of Scotland hit by a jobs crisis and mounting depopulation fears.
They say the site will ignite the area, and their ambitions reach to infinity – and beyond…
The approval came despite protests from Scotland’s richest man – as billionaire retail tycoon Anders Povlsen battled to stop construction.
But it was the voices of those pleading to regenerate the area that councillors listened to as they rubber-stamped the spaceport plans.
What are the changes?
Orbex sought to tweak previous plans after starting development  on the Moine Peninsula last year.
The new plans would mean repositioning the launch site and relocating antennas to Ben Tongue’s summit.
Original site plans were approved in 2020, but have since been scaled back, with bosses blaming environmental factors.
Updated planning documents will see peat excavations reduced by almost 60% and bridges installed over waterways to increase “mammal migration paths.”
Work is already under way, with the road towards the launch pad under construction.
What does the Sutherland spaceport mean to local supporters?
Dorothy Pritchard, chairwoman of Melness Crofters Estate (MCE), was one local leader pleading for Highland Council to pave the way forward for the scheme.
She said: “We have a vision of the potential benefits the spaceport, over time, could bring to the Melness/Tongue area.
“It has suffered greatly from the negative effects of an ageing demographic and depopulation.”
‘This is a fragile area’
Trudy Morris, the chief executive of the Caithness Chamber of Commerce, is also counting down the days until the project blasts off.
She said: “The Melness/Tongue area has been identified as a fragile area as a consequence of a number of factors such as depopulation.
“The spaceport development is designed to help address these through the creation of new job opportunities and community benefits.”
Orbex has previously offered job openings to those without technical experience or who are looking to retrain.
Hopeful residents expecting tourism boom
Locals hope tourists will flock to the area to gaze upwards in amazement at the 12 intended launches planned each year.
Planning officer Claire Farmer-McEwan explained how “viewing areas” would be created for those eager to take in the spectacular sights.
And those in Sutherland are hopeful for consistent year-round interest from visitors once it is fully operational.
So who was against the Sutherland spaceport, and why?
Local home-owners took issue with the planned access track to Ben Tongue, arguing against splitting the spaceport into multiple sites.
Anders Povlsen’s company Wildland Ltd also objected to the proposals, citing night disturbances.
However, council leader Raymond Bremner led calls to approve the changes.
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