Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has welcomed news that Spaceport 1 Project is set to progress after the Scottish government did not challenge the planning application.

The Planning Applications Board's decision to approve the project "will stand", the Spaceport 1 Project Board has said.

A Comhairle spokesperson said: "This is another important step forward in the plan to establish Spaceport 1 - a suborbital, vertical launch facility at Scolpaig, North Uist. Following receipt of the formal decision notice, our focus will turn to discharging the planning conditions and delivering on the mitigations laid out in the Environmental Impact Assessment.

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"Spaceport 1 will provide an opportunity for the economy of the Outer Hebrides to grow and diversify and will provide much needed local, professional jobs and training opportunities.

"Prospective launch companies are already looking at working with local businesses and establishing an on-island presence to support launches in future years. Even at this early stage, it is acknowledged by the launch industry that Spaceport 1 – and the Outer Hebrides – has a critical role to play in the expansion of the Scottish and UK space sectors."

Following detailed consideration of the conditions attached to the planning decision, the Project Board will develop the timeline for construction. At this stage, it is anticipated that the first launch from Spaceport 1 could be in late 2024 / early 2025.