People power pushes SSEN to grant power line consultation deadline – and Ross-shire campaigners are determined to be heard
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A TWO-week public consultation deadline extension conceded by SSEN over multimillion-pound plans for a 400kV overhead power line traversing a massive swathe of Ross-shire has been credited to public pressure.
Concerned campaigners aim to ensure meaningful dialogue with all options on the table and have warned "rushed routing and a design process carried out behind closed doors is unlikely to offer a solution in the best interests of residents, local economies, the environment, or the wider public."
The strength of feeling over the Caithness to Beauly line was demonstrated as people had to be turned away from a public meeting in Contin, the village hall packed out minutes after doors opened.
The line and substations are part of a nationwide programme of works required to meet UK and Scottish Government 2030 renewable targets.
“With an openness to engage, it should be possible to build big infrastructure in a way and along a route that respects the environment and local feeling” - Dan Bailey
Energy distribution company SSEN came under fire for a short period of consultation and for already having a preferred route, which is of concern to communities around Strathpeffer, Dingwall and Contin and others in Easter Ross and Beauly.
READ ALSO: 'Ambush' concerns over SSEN power line consultation
The Contin hall "listening exercise" was carried out by the local community councils and campaign group Strathpeffer and Contin Better Cable Route (SCBCR). This aims to inform a community-wide response to the proposals.
Many expressed significant concerns about the timeframe and approach put in place by SSEN. One said: "Have SSEN even visited our communities before planning these routes?"
“To make matters worse, at a time when the public have been rushing to respond to the company’s original deadline, it appears the team of two SSEN community liaison contacts have been impossible to reach”, said Dan Bailey of SCBCR. “One team member has been on leave in recent days, whilst the other has had in place an automatic response saying they have been overwhelmed with queries. They promise to publish answers to a set of Frequently Asked Questions at an unspecified date in April.
"On this timeline, how can people get the necessary information to help inform their submissions for the SSEN consultation deadline, even now it has been extended slightly?”
SSEN has agreed to a public meeting in Strathpeffer but it won't happen until late May or early June. Community councillor Ron McAulay said: "It is therefore important that no decisions are made on preferred routes until that meeting has been held and the community has had the chance to get answers to their questions and have been given the opportunity to express their views on the proposals.
“We now urge SSEN to begin a proper and meaningful community engagement and discussion of all route options available.”
The deadline extension "shows that SSEN are beginning to listen, and that their initial rushed approach was flawed” said Mr Bailey. “It also demonstrates the power of public pressure. When we know we’re in the right we can get things changed; we have hardly started yet.”
Concerns over route options
At the Strathpeffer and Contin meeting, significant concerns were expressed about the three routes currently proposed for this area, including the negative impact on natural habitats and wildlife, walkers and cyclists, and a visitor economy worth millions of pounds.
The impact on the quality of life for the many people living here was also a source of concern.
These are costs, it was pointed out, that will be paid not by developers, but by the local community for generations to come.
Campaigners say they welcome renewable energy in the Highlands, and accept that new transmission infrastructure has to be put somewhere. But they insists that the details matter.
“With an openness to engage, it should be possible to build big infrastructure in a way and along a route that respects the environment and local feeling”, said Dan Bailey. “Unfortunately, SSEN do not appear to have learned lessons from the construction of the Beauly – Denny line, which ended up being a longer and more expensive process than it might have been due in part to failings in community engagement.
“These are our lives and the places we live, work and play. There is no incentive for us to see them spoiled. We are mobilised and motivated; we are absolutely not going to accept the overhead routes on the table.
“That said, we would like to re-state our willingness to work with SSEN on exploring all appropriate routing and cabling options. We’re ready to sit down with them as soon as they can turn off the out-of-office.”
If local opinion is to be respected the company cannot impose a preferred route by stealth, say campaigners. As a priority, SSEN must now begin engaging on all route and cabling options.
One attendee said: “The difference between [the public meeting’s] understandable and slick presentation and the one from SSEN was startling”
Another observed: “These pylons are going to outlive us all, so trying to take the cheapest option at the expense of the people is just another example of the short-sightedness we have come to expect from such industries”
One added: “Large profits and renewables funding can be used to lay the cables underground."
SSEN said it has lengthened the public consultation period by two weeks until April 14 “given the extent of interest in the project and in direct response to requests from the community”.
There had been outrage over the short time available.
A spokesperson said: “The Spittal-Loch Buidhe-Beauly 400kV project is part of a GB-wide programme of works that are required to meet UK and Scottish Government 2030 renewable targets, including unlocking the first phase of the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round.
“In line with the UK Government’s British Energy Security Strategy, these reinforcements will help secure the country’s future energy independence by removing our dependence on, and price exposure to, volatile global wholesale gas markets through accelerating the deployment of homegrown and affordable low carbon electricity generation, and the enabling electricity network infrastructure required to connect and transport this power.
“Whilst delivering this critical national infrastructure by 2030 requires an acceleration of the project development and delivery phases, we remain fully committed to work closely with the local community and wider stakeholders to help inform our design and it is important to note that the project remains in the early stages of development and no specific overhead line alignments have been identified.
“We are currently seeking feedback on potential route options within approximately 1km wide areas, with this feedback helping inform more detailed route options, which we will further consult on later this year.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “No deadline has been set by the Scottish Government in relation to the Spittal-Beauly power line upgrade, however we are supportive of the SSEN Pathway to 30 Programme, with the planned investment in our grid infrastructure bringing benefits for our workforce, our supply chain, and our regional and national economies.
“Clear guidance is in place to ensure public consultation and engagement is carried out for all large-scale infrastructure proposals such as this, and that Environmental Impact Assessments are submitted.
“Any consenting application submitted to the Scottish Government for consideration would then be subject to further consultation with the public and statutory and local bodies, and local communities would have an additional opportunity to have their say on proposals. Potential impacts on communities, nature and other valued natural assets or cultural heritage are important considerations in the decision-making process.”
