The decision to approve the building of the
Beauly-Denny electricity
transmission line by the Scottish Governernment has
provoked
widespread
codemnation from outdoors and environmental bodies.
The 220 km overhead pylon line will run from Beauly to the west of
Inverness down to Denny, which is near Falkirk and connect renewable
power projects to the national grid. Some of the 600 pylons needed will
be more than 200 feet high and the route of the line crosses the
central Highlands and part of the Cairngorm National Park.
There were almost 18,000 objections to the scheme with bodies like the
John Muir Trust
advocating underground or subsea cables as a less damaging alternative.
"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."
The Mountaineering
Council of Scotland is similarly dismayed. MCofS
President, Chris Townsend said: “We express great disappointment at the
decision: the pylon line will damage the precious and irreplaceable
Scottish mountain landscape.”
MCofS Chief 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.”
Ramblers Scotland
has also spoken out against the project calling it 'deeply flawed ...
with no effective scrutiny of suitable alternatives, including a
potential east coast powerline upgrade and subsea options'.
The body calls for a legal challenge to the decision along with its
promotion as a live issue at the next Parliamentary election.
Basic overview at
news.bbc.co.uk.
Comment from JMT at
www.jmt.org.
Mountaineering Council of Scotland observations at
www.mcofs.org.uk.
Ramblers Scotland comment at
www.ramblers.org.uk.
Mike fae Dundee
John Muir Trust calls on Scottish Assembly to control tracks on wilderness land.
