Unst radar base proposals confirmed
Ryan TaylorPlans to re-establish a radar base at Saxa Vord in Unst have been announced.
The news, made public late this afternoon, comes more than 10 years after the long-established station closed its doors.
An RAF spokesman said plans were afoot to bring up a radar system to be installed on its “remote radar head”.
Work to accommodate the system is due to be carried out in the near future.
“The MoD can confirm that we plan to install a radar system at remote radar head, at Saxa Vord, and will shortly start a series of infrastructure work to accommodate this new radar system,” he said.
No further details have been given at this stage. However, the news will be welcomed by many in the North Isles, who saw the population of Unst drop after the station closed in April 2006.
North Isles councillor, Ryan Thomson, described the announcement as “brilliant news”.
• More reaction in this week’s Shetland Times
James J Paton
A radar for Unst is hardly brilliant news. Is this the extent of the local Cllr’s imagination to develop sustainability. What a fool. Who’s the enemy? Ploughshares not swords I say. Find out the cost/expenditure on this foolishness and see what else could be done with that level of investment.
Ryan Thomson
The cost/expenditure is not something the local Cllr has any control over James.
What this does bring to the island, however, is jobs. In the short term a lot of temporary employment and going forward hopefully many permanent jobs too.
James Sinclair
News? This was flagged up in 2014.
colin moore
I don’t think Unst should expect for many jobs from this new radar. I worked for NATS at Sumburgh and i know all their remote radars are unmanned and controlled from one of two atc centres. No reason to think that the military will be any different