NDA activity

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has a duty to take account of the social and economic impact of closing down its sites like Dounreay.

The NDA directly supports initiatives aimed at strengthening the local economy as well as ensuring that DSRL delivers an appropriate socio economic plan.

Caithness and north Sutherland is a priority area in the NDA's socio-economic strrategy. To date, it has:

  • provided approximately £500,000 a year to Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd for its activities in support of local socio-economic development
     
  • established the North Highland Regeneration Fund, providing £1.5m to support new business and enterprise in a revolving loan scheme
     
  • Committed £2 million towards the redevelopment of Scrabster Harbour
     
  • Committed £2 million towards the development of a new engineering skills centre at North Highland College
     
  • Committed £4 million to the Caithness and North Sutherland Fund through a "planning gains" agreement associated with the new low-level waste disposal facility at Dounreay
     
  • Ongoing funding to Caithness Chamber of Commerce for staff costs and to deliver programmes such as Invest Caithness and Wick and Thurso town centre development programmes
     
  • funded a range of projects, including a marina development at Wick harbour, various tourism initiatives, Wick Enterprise Centre, Ormlie Community Association and other important local projects

Education/skills

  • worked with Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd and the National Skills Academy (Scotland) to establish the Engineering Skills Centre at North Highland College in Thurso with a £2 million investment (opening autumn 2011
     
  • worked to establish and provided £809,000 of ongoing support to Caithness Chamber of Commerce for a skills transition programme for 2011-2013, available to DSRL staff and the wider Dounreay workforce. The NDA funding levered an additional £1.2m of European funding.

Economic and social infrastructure

  • a grant of £500,000 to support the development of Wick harbour
     
  • a grant of £2million towards the cost of a new pier at Scrabster to enable marine energy developers to cluster at the port and expand the harbour trust's capacity to support oil and gas exploration in the west of Shetland frontier.

Economic diversification

 

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Image: The NDA invested in new harbour facilities at Wick

The NDA invested in new harbour facilities at Wick

Image: Scrabster Harbour Trust received £2m from NDA towards its expansion plans

Scrabster Harbour Trust received £2m from NDA towards its expansion plans

Image: NDA invested in the construction of a new engineering centre at the North Highland College UHI in Thurso

NDA invested in the construction of a new engineering centre at the North Highland College UHI in Thurso

Image: Development of marine energy in the Pentland Firth is being supported by the NDA

Development of marine energy in the Pentland Firth is being supported by the NDA