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Leuchars spaceport could be launch pad for great things

Leuchars Air Base.
Leuchars Air Base.

The new space race could be the launch pad for great things for Fife.

That is according to Fife Council’s depute leader, Lesley Laird, reacting to news the sky may not be the limit after all for RAF Leuchars.

As was widely anticipated, aviation minister Robert Goodwill chose a visit to the Farnborough Air Show to announce Britain’s intention to lead the race into space.

In all eight UK sites are on the shortlist to become the first space station outside of the United States.

Once operational in four years the victor will be used as a launching site for satellites and a base for space tourism, capitalising on the booming industry that is already big business for the UK, bringing an £11.3 billion annual boon to the economy.

“In order to lead the way on commercial space flight, we will need to establish a spaceport that enables us to operate regular flights,” the minister said.

“The work published today has got the ball rolling now we want to work with others to take forward this exciting project and have Britain’s first spaceport up and running by 2018.”

The announcement was welcomed in Fife as Mrs Laird told The Courier: “For Leuchars to have made the grade is good news.

“The space industry clearly is an area the UK Government is looking to grow significantly it could be worth £40bn and provide 100,000 jobs and if we can get some of that growth it has to be a very positive thing.”

There would be spin offs and benefits to the supply chain as well.

“And certainly it would raise young people’s aspirations having something so prestigious on our doorstep. It would have a phenomenal impact the only one outside America, that would be absolutely fantastic for Fife.”

It was also welcomed by Fife Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive Eric Byiers who said: “Fife has a proven track record for supporting inward investment, and continues to strengthen its position as a leading location for engineering and technological business advancement.

“Leuchars certainly offers an excellent opportunity as a setting for the UK’s spaceport aspirations and the possibility of commercial space flights launching from Fife is an extremely interesting prospect.”

He added the chamber would be happy to work with its partners to investigate the proposal further and, if found to be viable, to promoting the advantages of Leuchars for such a venture.

North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell said: “This is a novel proposal but it is important to remember that Leuchars is only one of several possible sites that have been mentioned.

“Any civilian use of Leuchars would have to be measured against its primary purpose as a military base and the security questions which inevitably arise in relation to that function.”