OBJECTORS TO the controversial Beauly to Denny power line were yesterday accused of “discourtesy” in their bid to scupper Scotland’s biggest and most costly public inquiry.

Lawyers representing opponents of the massive power line, which would stretch over 137 miles, lodged a written submission on Monday urging the team of Scottish Executive reporters to throw out the applicant’s plans at the completion of their evidence.

Yesterday morning at the inquiry in Perth, reporter Timothy Brian opened the 21st day by saying, “Yesterday we received written legal submissions raising a number of issues.

“We don’t propose to discuss these matters today. We need to allow the applicants the opportunity to respond in writing and when we receive that we will be in a position to consider our response, which will also be in writing.”

Ailsa Wilson QC, representing SHETL (Scottish Hydro-Electric Transmission Ltd), said their response will be submitted by Tuesday.

She had pointed out that the end of this week was too soon “given the importance of the issues raised.”

Miss Wilson described the objectors’ submission as an “orchestrated act” which was “not conceived and formulated overnight.”

She added, “They are designed to have such an effect as to prevent proceedings going any further and it is important that a carefully considered response is provided.”

There was also a “degree of discourtesy over the way this has happened,” Miss Wilson said.

One of the legal team objecting to the proposals, John Campbell QC, denied “any allegation of discourtesy or conspiracy” and said the applicants should have “as much time as they need.”

It has been suggested by the objectors that a “fatal flaw” has been found in the case presented by the applicants in that the regulator, OFGEM, has failed in its statutory duties with regard to considering environmental impacts and sustainability of the £230 million project.

Helen McDade, of the John Muir Trust and convener of the Beauly Denny Landscape Group of objectors, said, “These are material considerations and our legal advice is that, as a matter of law, Scottish ministers cannot grant consent unless they take these into consideration.

“There is no evidence that OFGEM carried out its statutory duties as regards environmental matters and sustainable development and therefore the application is fatally flawed.”

The inquiry is due to hear evidence at the Quality Hotel until May, when it will move to Inverness and Newtonmore, before returning to Perth and finishing at Stirling in December.