Scotland’s rural affairs secretary has stepped into the row over plans for a line of ‘super pylons’ which will run through the heartland of her Angus and Mearns constituency.
Mairi Gougeon has told energy giant SSEN they must do better in talking to communities along the potential route.
The SNP MSP says she is being bombarded by concerns from constituents about the possible impact of the towers.
And she has questioned whether alternatives to the pylon proposal have been given serious consideration.
Ms Gougeon and West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Conservative MP Andrew Bowie met project bosses on Friday to air their concerns.
Campaign groups have been formed in Angus and the Mearns to fight the proposals.
SSEN say the 400kV upgrade is vital for meeting UK and Scottish Government net zero targets.
They hope the new infrastructure will be in place by 2030.
Pylons on the Kintore – Fiddes – Tealing overhead line route will average 55 metres in height.
Politicians meet with project chiefs
Ms Gougeon said: “Every day I am being contacted by more and more people who are only just hearing about the plans, not from SSEN but because of social media and recent press coverage.
“This simply isn’t good enough.
She added: “This is a beautiful part of the world and whilst energy infrastructure is needed, alternative options must be considered.
“It’s not clear that any alternatives have been given serious consideration by SSEN.”
She delivered that message, along with MP Mr Bowie, in the sit-down with project officials on Friday.
‘Engage further’
“SSEN have been left in no doubt as to the strength of feeling on this issue,” she said.
“They have committed to continue listening, even beyond the close of the consultation deadline and while I welcome this, they need to engage further at a more local level going forward.”
Mr Bowie added: “The detail of what’s proposed is only just dawning on some communities along the transmission route.
“I’m seeing more public meetings in towns and villages every week, and the amount of correspondence from constituents is growing with each passing day.
“Engagement has been below the level of what we would expect for such a major project.
“I’m pleased to work with Mairi so that SSEN get that missing information to residents in the Mearns, and we won’t stop listening to those who are affected.”
Sunset Song summit
The cabinet secretary also recently met Mearns residents who will be directly impacted by a substation to be built as part of the scheme.
Its proposed site at Fiddes is on the doorstep of Sunset Song author Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s former home.
Locals there – and along the near 70-mile pylon route – say they are still only just discovering the plans due to SSEN’s poor engagement strategy.
It comes after the company held its hands up to missing Forfar out of a briefing on the project.
‘Lack of appreciation’ for historic landscape
Rebecca Chapman of the substation group said: “We want to make clear that this community is not against the 400kV project, we understand it needs to happen.
“What we are against is this mentality that SSEN can do whatever they like.
“That they can take whatever land they want, and communities must sit back and watch the lives they have worked so hard for be destroyed.
“The proposed location is one of the greatest historical sites in the area.
“Lewis Grassic Gibbon is one of Scotland’s most celebrated writers.
“The fact that this location has been selected shows the sheer lack of SSEN’s appreciation for our community.”
Angus campaigners have won the support of Sioux native Americans in their opposition to the plan.
The Standing Rock tribe fought a proposal for an oil pipeline through their lands in 2016 and say they understand the concerns around landscape and human impact.
Consultation deadline extended
SSEN said: “We held a productive meeting with Ms Gougeon to discuss the project in more detail, and outline how we’re using feedback from the community to help shape our proposals.
“We will continue to engage with affected communities and wider stakeholders in advance of the next round of public consultation.”
It will take place later this year on potential overhead line alignments and substation locations.
“It is important to note that the project is in the early stages of development,” added the company.
“No specific overhead line route alignments or substation locations have been identified.
“We recently extended the consultation period by two weeks and would encourage people to provide their feedback by Friday June 23.
“We would also like to reassure stakeholders that we will continue to engage on our proposals after the formal consultation period closes.”
Conversation