Friends of Scolpaig, the group challenging plans to build a spaceport in North Uist, are urging the public to lodge objections before the planning consent deadline.

But with the deadline looming, the group confess they have been worn down by Comhairle nan Eilean and accuse the local authority – part of the spaceport consortium – of changing direction and providing a range of development mitigations whenever it suits their argument.

Comments Friends of Scolpaig: “RHEA [Group] are determined to put a spaceport on Scolpaig and will navigate a way around any environmentally sensitive areas - however challenging! All with the aid of our ‘environmentally aware’ Western Isles Council.

“Spaceport 1 will never ‘enhance our natural environment and inspire the people of Scotland to care more about it,’ as outlined by NatureScot.”

The second round of public consultations on the controversial spaceport development will close on Sunday, March 5. The updated environmental submissions can be viewed on the Council’s planning portal.

The spaceport near Scolpaig, Balemartin, is being proposed by a spaceport consortium led by the Comhairle, which is also the landowner and the planning authority.

The proposal involves the construction of a sub-orbital vertical launch spaceport that includes an access road, fencing, a launch pad with a demountable launch tower, and water and liquid storage tanks with associated services and infrastructure.

Planning permission is also being sought to repair and use a former farm building for storage, water pumps and communications facility, stabilise a derelict former farm building, upgrade an existing farm track and water crossing, vehicle parking and periodic intermittent siting of storage containers.