Call for investigation amid fears energy schemes will ‘irreversibly scar the Highlands’
Campaigners from Caithness and Sutherland are among those who have joined forces to demand a rethink on large-scale energy developments that they say could “irreversibly scar the Highlands”.
A newly formed regional umbrella organisation, comprising action groups and communities from across the north, is calling on politicians to intervene over the controversial plans by SSEN Transmission for a 400kV overhead line linking Spittal, Loch Buidhe and Beauly.
The “loose alliance” of groups would like to see an independent investigation into the need for the pylon scheme and other major energy projects.
If approved, there will be about 167km of new pylons as well as three new substations, including Banniskirk Hub – which is said to be causing “major anxiety” in the surrounding area.
Last month SSEN Transmission confirmed the final overhead line route alignments to be brought forward for planning consent and development.
One local action group, Dunbeath and Berriedale Community Say No to Pylons, warned last week that the plans are creating “despair and devastation” in communities and said Caithness and Sutherland could end up looking like “an apocalyptic wasteland”.
The average height of the pylons will be 57 metres, with a maximum height of 65m.
The groups involved in the umbrella organisation held their first meeting in Tain in early February. They will be pressing politicians for “a complete rethink” on their approach to renewable energy developments.
The campaigners claim that the pylon line and its substations, along with new wind farms and battery energy storage systems, “threaten to irreversibly scar the Highlands… all for the financial gain of corporate energy giants”.
Lynn Parker, of Dunbeath, said: ‘Communities across Caithness and Sutherland have endured endless wind farm developments, only to now face a new horror: towering 57-metre pylons striding across the landscape, destroying peatland and woodlands and endangering bird populations.
“These industrial-scale pylons will hum, flash and dominate the skyline, permanently altering the character of the rural landscape and the quality of life of local people.”
Caithness resident Kathrin Haltiner, who runs the Highland Renewables Database website, said: ‘We do not need more export infrastructure in the far north of Scotland. The existing export infrastructure from Caithness going south is not used to capacity due to restrictions in the grid further south.”
Ms Haltiner described the proposed overhead line as “grossly out of proportion” and predicted it would lead to “an explosion of constraint payments”.
Karen Bell, of Rogart, said: “The Highlands are being sacrificed at the altar of profit. Protected areas, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest and vast peatlands, irreplaceable archaeology and important historical landscapes, productive agricultural land and popular tourism and leisure destinations, are at imminent threat of being bulldozed for unnecessary energy infrastructure.
“Peatlands, which serve as critical carbon sinks, are being destroyed under the guise of green energy expansion – an act of environmental hypocrisy that negates any claimed carbon reduction benefits.”
Dan Bailey, from Better Cable Route (Strathpeffer and Contin), said: ‘Despite claims by Westminster and Holyrood that all these projects are necessary, the fact is that they are not needed for Scotland’s own energy requirements.
“As the next round of consultations gets under way, communities know to expect the usual box-ticking exercises by smooth-talking SSEN representatives who ignore our concerns. The voices of local people are being dismissed in favour of corporate interests, while our elected representatives fail to act on behalf of those they swore to serve.
“We demand an immediate, independent investigation into the necessity and viability of these projects, including the UK and Scottish governments’ 2030 net-zero targets.
“Our MPs, MSPs, and councillors need to start listening to local people now, before the damage is done. It is not yet too late to stop the madness, but time is running out fast.”
The pylons will overlook at least two sites closely associated with the Dunbeath-born novelist Neil Gunn (1891-1973).
Helen Smith, of Better Cable Route, pointed out: “In the Strathpeffer area, beautiful Strath Sgitheach, beloved by Neil Gunn, is on the proposed overhead line route despite its important archaeology, rich birdlife and successful native pine regeneration.”
Dunbeath Water was the setting for Gunn’s novel Highland River.
Changes made by SSEN Transmission are being set out at public engagement events. These include meetings at Spittal Village Hall on Monday, March 3, Helmsdale Community Centre on Tuesday, March 4, and Dunbeath Community Centre on Wednesday, March 5 (from 3pm-7pm in each case).
A spokesperson for SSEN Transmission said: “The proposed Spittal to Beauly overhead line project is part of a major upgrade of the electricity transmission network across Great Britain that is required to deliver clean power and energy security ambitions.
“These projects will also alleviate grid constraints and be the catalyst for economic growth across the north of Scotland, adding billions of value to the economy and supporting tens of thousands of jobs.
“The need for these projects has been independently assessed and recommended by the National Energy System Operator, approved by the independent energy regulator, Ofgem, and fully endorsed by the UK government as part of its Clean Power Action Plan.
“As the transmission network operator for the north of Scotland, based in Perth, we are required by our licence to deliver this work, and we have consulted extensively with local communities in the development of our proposals, leading to detailed analysis of several alternative alignments, including those proposed by local groups, and several changes made to plans in direct response to community feedback.
“Our current round of engagement offers members of the public the opportunity to view our proposals for the final alignment of the overhead line, including measures to minimise and mitigate our environmental impact and deliver biodiversity net gain, and we look forward to welcoming members of the public to our events.”
