Council raising objection to power line is victory for democracy – campaigners

Campaigners fighting plans to install a 105-mile long line of pylons through the Highlands say they have secured a “victory for local democracy” after the local council formally raised objections to the proposal with the Scottish Government.

Highland Council raised a series of concerns about SSEN Transmissions planned Spittal to Beauly overhead power line.

In a letter sent to the Energy Consents Unit at the Scottish Government, the council said the 105-mile long line would be “significantly detrimental” to the landscape, and contravenes both the National Planning Framework 4 policy and its own local development plan policy.

The objection was welcomed by campaigners at the Better Cable Route group, who have been urging energy giants SSEN to consider an alternative route for the line.

Dan Bailey of the group said Highland’s Council’s objection showed “it is clear that Spittal-Beauly is very far from a done deal”.

He added: “From big, national organisations to individual voters, we are all speaking with one voice when we say the proposal is simply not good enough. Standing strong together, we can protect our region.”

Mr Bailey continued: “This objection from Highland Council is a big moment, showing that the people of the Highlands are not fighting alone but have the backing of our local representatives.

“It is a victory for local democracy, at a time when the voices of communities are consistently ignored by big energy companies and governments at both Holyrood and Westminster, who treat the Highlands as expendable.”

SSEN, however, said the new line is “critical to delivering the UK and Scottish Government’s offshore wind targets”.

It plans to invest more than £10 billion upgrading the electricity network across the north of Scotland “as the region plays a leading role in the clean energy transition”.

On its website, SSEN makes clear: “As part of this investment, there is a requirement for a new 400kV connection between Spittal and Beauly.”

It states the work is needed “to support the continued growth in onshore and offshore renewables across the north of Scotland” with the line helping to “connect this renewable power and transport it from source to areas of demand across the country”.

However, in its letter to the Scottish Government, Highland Council said that the application “fails to have any or any proper regard to the desirability of preserving natural beauty and does not reasonably mitigate the effect of the proposals on the natural beauty of the countryside”.

The local authority said that NatureScot had highlighted concerns the new power line could “lead to significant loss of peatland and bog habitat” in the World Heritage Site area known as the Flow Country.

The council further said the plans could lead to the permanent removal of almost 500 hectares of woodland – including some ancient woodland.

Adding that with construction work planned to take place seven days a week, the authority said: “Local residents in the vicinity of the towers will experience little or no respite from construction noise.

“Construction activities will have a significant detrimental impact on the amenity of local residents.”

SSEN Transmission has been contacted for comment.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on live planning applications.”