Furious locals slam plans for mega-pylons on Scottish countryside
- Residents categorical considerations over hostile impacts on the world’s pure magnificence
Plans to construct pylons by way of the countryside that impressed the basic novel Sunset Song have been scrapped after a backlash from locals.
Energy large SSEN mentioned a part of the East Coast improve had been modified to ‘cut back group influence’.
But residents mentioned they’d proceed their opposition as a result of the change would influence different areas as a substitute.
The firm had deliberate to construct overhead strains between the villages of Kintore in Aberdeenshire and Tealing in Angus.
A substation because of be constructed at Fiddes within the Mearns will now be moved to Fetteresso Forest close to to an present construction, and an overhead line close to Forfar can be rerouted farther from the city.
Residents have vowed to proceed to oppose plans construct pylons and overhead strains throughout Scottish Countryside after vitality large SSEN modified a part of the challenge to scale back its ‘group influence’
Residents had expressed concern about impacts on the childhood house of writer Lewis Grassic Gibbon and the pure great thing about the world
Residents had expressed concern about impacts on the childhood house of writer Lewis Grassic Gibbon and the pure great thing about the world.
The countryside round Fiddes was the setting for Sunset Song, considered one of Scotland’s best-loved novels. Published in 1932 and tailored for movie, tv and stage, it follows the influence of the First World War on a farming household within the Mearns.
Shona Alexander, whose land had been earmarked for the Fiddes substation, mentioned she was ‘delighted’ that the unique plans weren’t going forward, however highlighted that others can be affected as a substitute.
She mentioned: ‘It’s nice for us but it surely’s simply transferring the issue round. It’s going to vary totally different communities and does not actually make it any higher. No one deserves this on their doorstep.’
Lyndsey Ward, spokesman for stress group Communities B4 Power Companies, branded the brand new plans ‘pylon hokey cokey’.
SSEN will conduct one other sequence of consultations on the proposed adjustments within the new yr
She added: ‘They’ll transfer them a bit to the left or a bit to the appropriate but it surely’s not likely addressing our considerations.
‘This goes to vary the face of the north of Scotland perpetually.’
The adjustments got here as SSEN Transmission introduced 400 new jobs throughout northern Scotland over the following yr as a part of the £20billion community improve. The vitality large has promised advantages to communities together with cash off payments and the constructing of 200 properties.
SSEN will launch one other sequence of consultations on the proposed adjustments within the new yr.
Senior challenge supervisor Calum Grant mentioned the adjustments recognised ‘the power of feeling’ amongst people and communities.
