Beauly – Denny line approved
The Scottish Government today approved the Beauly to Denny 400kV electricity transmission. The decision follows a multi-million pound Public Local Inquiry that due to the way the planning system works, did not properly consider alternatives.
“Marching a 220km mega pylon line though some of our most world-renown landscapes may be the most lucrative option for the energy industry but it is the wrong choice for Scotland,” commented Helen McDade, Head of Policy for the John Muir Trust. “It is particularly galling that this white elephant is being given the go-ahead in a week when the UK government will announce another generation of offshore wind farms. This, combined with plans for a European subsea supergrid, completely destroys any rationale for bringing electricity produced in the north of Scotland, and destined for consumption in England, overland right down through the Highlands and Central Scotland. Why on earth not have one or more subsea cables for this long-distance transmission?”
The convenor of Ramblers Scotland, Denis Canavan, commented that the decision was “a gross act of vandalism that would destroy some of the most scenic areas in Scotland,” whilst Cameron McNeish, editor of TGO magazine, condemned the government for “…trashing the concept of National Parks by allowing part of this monstrous scheme to run through the Cairngorms National Park.”
Mountaineering Council of Scotland President, Chris Townsend said: “We express great disappointment at the decision: the pylon line will damage the precious and irreplaceable Scottish mountain landscape,” whilst Cheif Officer, David Gibson, added “Future generations will judge whether this is the correct decision, made against a background of nearly 18,000 objections, the damage to the landscape, and the lack of examination of alternative options.”
The chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, Duncan McLaren, welcomed the decision, saying the potential environmental damage from climate change was much greater than any caused by the new line.
Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives all simply said an announcement on the project was long overdue.
January 6th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Hello,
A shameful day when, considering the multi billions that the banking industry has robbed from all of us, that a few hundred millions could not be found to get all of this connection put underground.
January 6th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
I am an electrician and I agree with the below statement from Dennis Canavan, a man I have great admiration for.
I was born in the central belt in Grangemouth, and I moved to Ullapool in Wester Ross eight years ago, because I appreciate the natural beauty of Scotland. This is a decision by people who do not care about this stunningly beautiful country only about making money from a project which will prove entirely useless compared to the sensible answer of nuclear power. Considering the fact that this country already reprocesses the worlds nuclear waste at Sellafield I see no argument about this option.
”The convenor of Ramblers Scotland, Denis Canavan, commented that the decision was “a gross act of vandalism that would destroy some of the most scenic areas in Scotland,” whilst Cameron McNeish, editor of TGO magazine, condemned the government for “…trashing the concept of National Parks by allowing part of this monstrous scheme to run through the Cairngorms National Park.”
January 11th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Hello William,
I guess that the nuclear power stations would have to be built down south since the Scottish Parliament has, correct me if I am wrong, made it clear that no nuclear stations should be built on Scottish soil…..maybe after the debacle of the ‘old style one’ on the Northern coast of Scotland.