Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
25th July 2014
Energy & Business services:
Pelamis Wave Power has issued a project update on its Farr Point project off the coast of north Sutherland. The company reports on the results consultation work and survey work in support of its likely application later this year to Marine Scotland for a 10MW array of Pelamis wave devices.
Tourism, Food & Drink:
The North Highland Initiative is planning a Children's Food Festival in June next year. The event, which will be held in association with Scotland Food & Drink and will take place against the backdrop of the Year of Food & Drink in 2015.
Enabling activities:
The Peatlands Partnership is inviting contractors to tender for the restoration of 307 hectares of damaged peatland within the Flow Country. The restoration work is part of the £9.6 million pound "Flow to the Future" programme that recently received confirmation of a £4.3 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The tenders are for the initial phase of work which will start the tree harvesting and the restoration of water tables in the Dyke and Forsinain plantations in Sutherland. These areas are part of RSPB’s Forsinard Flows Nature Reserve. The felling work is open to competitive tender via the Public Contracts Scotland website. The Partnership knows from past experience that there are many capable contractors based in Caithness and Sutherland. One of the useful aspects of this project is that it runs for 5 years and so offers good opportunities for continuity of employment for that period.
Communications:
As part of an ongoing process of helping communicate progress with the delivery of aspects of our economic transition programme CNSRP's partners work together to generate news stories for local, regional and national media. I also speak on a regular basis to individuals and organisations across the area to update on progress. This week:
· The CNSRP Delivery Group met this week to discuss progress with our ongoing programme of work, and to agree work being carried out on CNSRP’s behalf by Simon Middlemas, who is working for Cavendish Dounreay Partnership. I reported to members that so far in 2014/15 around 20 companies have committed to creating or retaining 103 full-time equivalent jobs in the area. The CNSRP Delivery Plan outlines targets of between 359 and 479 jobs by March 2017.
· I also attended this week’s meeting of Dounreay Stakeholder Group’s socio-economic subgroup, at which my quarterly written report was tabled for discussion. This included the above update on progress with jobs. Members also heard updates from the Dounreay Socio-economic alliance (DSRL, NDA, PBO) and Caithness Chamber of Commerce.
· I contributed an article to the edition of Scottish Provincial Press’ “Energy North” Supplement, which is issued this week with all SPP newspapers in the Highlands. The article focused on the first fruits of our efforts in inward investment in the energy sector with last week’s opening of Process Safety Solutions’ new office in Wick.
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In April 2021, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL) became a subsidiary company of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Group. The Cavendish Dounreay Partnership ceased.
A new report launched (Wednesday 29th September 2021), commissioned by Caithness Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership, demonstrates the economic benefits that Space Hub Sutherland will bring to the North Highland and Moray areas. Space Hub Sutherland - a new satellite launch site - will bring huge employment and tourism benefits to the Scottish Highlands.
Seven community projects are to benefit from over £80k of funding following the Caithness & North Sutherland Fund's latest grant awards. CNSFund Chairperson David Glass said "Our latest funding includes improvements to youth activities, community and recreational facilities as well as progressing an ambitious project to establish a major visitor attraction in Caithness.
The second phase in a major upgrade of Scrabster Harbour in Caithness has secured up to £3m investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The funding will enable the redevelopment of the existing St.
In April 2019 Peter Faccenda took over the role of Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership manager. He takes over from Eann Sinclair who was appointment as Caithness and Sutherland area manager for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Weeks commencing 20th & 27th May Energy & Business Services: The Beatrice Offshore Windfarm project this week reached an output capacity of 587.9MW (its installed capacity is 588MW), which is the highest output from any renewable source in Scotland. And as the construction phase of the Beatrice Offshore project comes to an end it is good to see that offshore piling operations have begun for the Moray East offshore windfarm development.
SpaceHub Sutherland: The team continued with a programme of drop-in events on the ground around the area this week, running drop-in events at the Village Hall in Skerray and the Kinlochbervie Hotel. For details on the project and the programme of events see http://www.hie.co.uk/regional-information/area-information/caithness-and-sutherland/uk-space-port/community-engagement.html Energy & Business Services: As previously highlighted, a meeting was held in Thurso to highlight the newly-established DeepWind Offshore Supply Chain Cluster.
Week Commencing 29 April 2019. Energy & Business Services: As we see positive progress with the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm development, and the development of both Moray East and West projects, a new initiative to support supply chain companies to learn more about opportunities will be held in Thurso on 13th May.
Weeks commencing 8th-22nd April 2019. Energy & Business Services: It was good to see the announcement this week by Dounreay that its Decommissioning Services Framework had gone live.
Week Commencing 8th April 2019 Energy & Business Services: It was good to see this week in the Press & Journal's Energy Voice a piece confirming the transformational impact that the Beatrice Offshore project is having on Wick. It is a timely reminder that although the £2.6Bn project is nearing the end of its construction phase, the economic impacts in the north will continue over the lifetime of the project through the operations base in the restored harbourfront buildings in Wick, which will be home to around 90 workers.
