Chucking buns across the fence? Governmental planning and regeneration projects in the Scottish Highland economy, 1945-82

MacKenzie, Niall Gordon (2008) Chucking buns across the fence? Governmental planning and regeneration projects in the Scottish Highland economy, 1945-82. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis investigates the creation, operation and impact of four industrial developments in the Highlands of Scotland in Corpach, Aviemore, Dounreay and Invergordon in the period 1945 to 1982. The thesis is structured as follows: the introduction details the development of economic policy towards the Highlands and Scotland more generally, encompassing a literature survey to provide the necessary background and context of the developments, followed by individual case study analysis of the four developments, followed by a conclusion that assesses the overall themes present in the preceding case studies and introduction. Within the conclusion is a discussion of the regional policy aspect of the four developments, the effect the developments had on the areas in which they were located in terms of population and unemployment change and the political economy and politics of Highland development.

The argument developed in the thesis is that the motivations behind the four industrial projects detailed in the case studies were more complex than the publicly and privately stated justification for creating and establishing the developments that they would act as growth centres and attract further industries to the areas in which they were located. The thesis posits that developments in the Highlands only took place as a consequence of Scottish Office actions ‘winning’ large industrial projects for the area and only when Scottish Office policy aims converged with UK national economic and political interests. Consequently, short-term political goals usurped effective long-term economic development, resulting in a lack of infrastructural development that severely hindered the stated aims and justification of each development acting as a growth centre. Further, the argument is made that as a result of these short-term political goals, a policy of grand gestures of large-scale industrial developments that were inappropriate for the areas in which they were located was pursued, resulting in the eventual closure of all but the Aviemore complex. In short, the thesis is about the implementation failure of large-scale industry in the Highlands, post-1945.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Scottish history, economic planning, Highlands, government, Scottish Office, economic history, business history, regional development, HIDB, British aluminium, Dounreay, Invergordon, Corpach, Fort William, Aviemore, nuclear, tourism, aluminium, paper, history, technology, Scottish politics, British history, post-war history.
• Subjects: D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain; J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General); H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Economics
• Supervisor's Name: Ross, Dr. Duncan M.
• Date of Award: 2008
• Depositing User: mr niall gordon mackenzie
• Unique ID: glathesis:2008-125
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 05 Jun 2008
• Last Modified: 26 Oct 2022 14:26
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.125
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/125