PICTURES: Shock for rural residents as energy firm SSE unveils plans for giant electricity substation "monstrosity" and super pylons at beauty spot near Beauly
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Horrified residents are ready to fight plans to build a giant electricity substation and march super pylons through a rural beauty spot west of Inverness.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is running public consultations on proposals for a 400 kilovolt (kV) overhead power line connecting Spittal in Caithness to Beauly, via Loch Buidhe in Sutherland.
Fanellan, on Lovat Estate lands, is the preferred site for one of three massive new 400kV substations, branded a “monstrosity” by locals.
Another high voltage line is planned from Peterhead to Beauly, linking with the existing Beauly to Denny super pylon line approved in 2010.
If given the green light, residents in and around Kiltarlity, Cabrich, Breakachy and Aigas would be directly impacted by the convergence of the three power lines carried on 57m (180ft) high pylons.
Objectors say the project – part of SSEN’s £7 billion ‘pathway to 2030’ upgrade of UK energy infrastructure in the north of Scotland – would blight views, generate noise and light pollution, and destroy natural habitats across a broad swathe of countryside. They are also concerned about the adverse health impacts of giant pylons and substations.
A public meeting last Thursday saw an estimated 300 interested people pack out Kilmorack Hall to quiz SSEN staff, with pre-planning consultation set to continue until March 31.
Many were shocked by the sheer scale of infrastructure, which will link green energy projects to the national grid.
The substation alone could be 500m by 250m in size. If combined with a planned HVDC convertor site, which converts high voltage alternating current (AC) to high-voltage direct current (HVDC), it would fill an area of 775m by 290m.
SSEN was also accused of failing to indicate the exact number and location of planned super pylons.
Annette George (53), a disabled woman who lives in a semi-detached cottage at Upper Wester Fanellan (pictured front of mock-up above), would gaze directly out at the new substation.
Mrs George said: “We only found out a week ago that the favoured site is just behind us.
“You just couldn’t move at the public meeting. People were queueing to find out how it was going to affect them and the countryside around us.
“It is hard to grasp until you see the sheer scale of it. On the 3D images shown to us, our home looked like a little Monopoly house with this giant monstrosity behind it, some 36-40m tall.
“The meeting was quite sombre, really. People were definitely angry, shocked and some were visibly upset.
“This is going to be an awful scar on the landscape and people are determined to challenge it, and say it is unacceptable.
“The question is, what can SSEN do to improve it? Can they put things underground and minimise the impact?
“They have got to make it palatable for people who live here. We can’t, for the sake of green energy, just destroy green spaces.”
A social media protest group is attracting growing numbers, with discussions on how to co-ordinate a response.
Lyndsey Ward, who lives at Breakachy, would see her home dwarfed by super pylons.
Having successfully fought against several wind farm proposals, she is determined to help protect the local area.
Mrs Ward said: “The three times over budget Beauly to Denny line is a monument to environmental vandalism, yet SSEN think that more transmission lines impacting the same area is acceptable.
“What happened to environmental protection and caring for communities?
“Aside from very worrying health issues of living near high power electricity transmission, the footprint of these super-sized pylons and substations is immense.
“It was only in the last few days that we gained a full insight into the scale of what they’re intending to do.
“It has rocked the community back on its heels.”
SSEN responded by stressing plans for the Beauly area remained in the "early stages" of preparation, with feedback from members of the public set to help alter and finalise the plans.
Martin Godwin, community liaison manager for SSEN Transmission, said: “Over the past two weeks we have welcomed over 600 members of the public along to our drop-in events, which have been a great opportunity to share more information about the Spittal to Beauly project, show the plans for our preferred overhead line routes and substation/HVDC converter station sites and take on board any initial feedback for consideration as we start to refine routes and substation site selections.
“The events have generated some great discussion about the project which will ultimately help to deliver the UK and Scottish Government’s net zero targets, and play a critical role in securing our future energy independence through enabling clean, homegrown low-carbon power.
“While our in-person events have now concluded, our online project feedback remains open until 31 March, and we encourage anyone with an interest in the project to visit our website to view more information about the Spittal to Beauly project and share any feedback they have.
“The project is in the early stages of development, and the feedback received on our proposals will help to shape our plans as we move forward with this scheme. We thank everyone who attended the events or has shared their feedback online so far, and will endeavour to keep them informed as the project progresses.”
More information can be found about the project on SSEN Transmission’s website.
SSEN Transmission says it has made sector-leading biodiversity commitments on all projects, introducing a policy of no-net-loss in biodiversity on all projects gaining consent from 2020, and biodiversity net gain on all new projects from 2025.
The company says that means it will leave the environment no worse than before, "and where possible making it even better, leaving a positive environmental legacy" at all SSEN Transmission sites.
It also stressed that projects teams would seek to minimise impacts of the scheme through design, aiming to use natural features in the landscape to screen sites and reduce visual impact.
Additional site-specific mitigation plans would be developed at a later stage in the process, to further help reduce any visual impacts, which would include hard landscaping and additional tree planting.
