The Dounreay Nuclear Establishment and its impact on the Northern Highlands of Scotland

This project will investigate the impact of Dounreay Nuclear Power Research Establishment on the built environment of the
far north of Scotland. Focusing on Thurso, the northernmost town on the Scottish mainland, the project will analyse the role
of Dounreay in the physical and infrastructural development of the surrounding region, focusing on its role in the rapid
increase in Thurso's population from 3,200 in 1955 to 9,000 by 1963. The nuclear research and development establishment
at Dounreay stands as one of Scotland's most innovative and high profile technological and scientific developments. It is
unique both in the UK and internationally as it represents a short phase of nuclear fast breeder technological development
which did not achieve widespread adoption. The iconic Dounreay Sphere has entered the public consciousness on a par
with the castles that define another inherited memory and legacy of Scotland's past. British experiments with the fast
breeder nuclear reactor are now at an end (since 1994) and Dounreay, comprising some 300 facilities and structures, is
being decommissioned, with preparation already underway for demolition and clearance by 2029.
The decommissioning of Dounreay has led to an understanding that a 'heritage legacy' is an important part of this process.
From a technological and heritage legacy point of view, decommissioning affords an opportunity to study the impact of
Dounreay during its 60 years as well as the impact of its 'passing' on the North Highlands of Scotland. To date, historical
research on impact has been restricted to narrative histories of Thurso and the Dounreay site development. The reasons
for the rapid growth of many urban centres - the foundation of a monastery or the building of a castle - present an enduring
physical presence as they change over time: by 2025, Dounreay, the rationale for Thurso's 20th century urban growth, will
cease to physically exist.
This study will be both pertinent and timely, as many of those who were directly or indirectly involved in the development of
Dounreay and Thurso are still alive, as are the ongoing debates on the post-use legacy of the Dounreay site. The political
and moral arguments that Dounreay spawned throughout its 60 year life are also on record, adding to the wealth of
information available. This original project will offer the opportunity to combine urban character studies, industrial,
architectural, technological, economic and cultural history disciplines. It offers scope for the student to mould the topic:
utilising architects' papers, specialising in oral histories or exploring international parallels such as the Los Alamos National
Laboratory (LANL), New Mexico, USA and its impact on the local infrastructure in a remote area.
Research Aims
To investigate the physical development of Dounreay Nuclear Power Research Establishment and the town of Thurso.
To explore the physical impact of Dounreay upon the built environment of the north of Scotland.
Research Questions
What was Dounreay's impact on the built environment of Thurso, Caithness and the Northern Highlands?
What was Dounreay's impact at local, regional and national level with regard to the idea of the Highlands of Scotland as an
agricultural, rural and 'wild' landscape?
How did Dounreay's transform Thurso into an industrial 'frontier' town and how does this compare to other examples of
urban, industrial development in Scotland?
How did Dounreay help sustain crofting communities and landscape in the far north of Scotland?
How did Dounreay's built environment shape relations between workers at the facility and the local community?