ScottishPower will consult local community stakeholders on the company’s visual mitigation proposals for the upgrade to the Beauly to Denny transmission line. This voluntary consultation period is in addition to the formal consultation required by a condition placed on the overhead line consent and the engagement which has already taken place through the Stirling Council Beauly to Denny Steering Group.

The Scottish Government approved the essential upgrade to the overhead transmission line between Beauly, near Inverness and Denny, near Falkirk in January this year.

The approval followed consideration of all aspects of the development during an extensive Public Inquiry process and is subject to a detailed and comprehensive range of conditions. These conditions include a requirement for ScottishPower to prepare proposals to mitigate the visual impact of the overhead transmission line in the Stirling area.

Frank Mitchell, ScottishPower Energy Networks Director, said:  “ScottishPower has commissioned engineering and environmental studies by experts who specialise in transmission infrastructure and the routeing of overhead lines through the landscape. These studies will consider how best to conform to the visual mitigation condition in the consent.

“As this work draws to an end it creates the opportunity for ScottishPower to share its proposals for visual mitigation with the local communities and stakeholders. ScottishPower recognises that by undertaking this voluntary consultation, it will allow the Company to gather and consider these views on the proposals, prior to the formal submission of the visual mitigation scheme to the Government.

“We are now finalising our proposals and expect to open them to consultation shortly. We look forward to hearing the views of the local communities and interested parties on our visual mitigation proposals.”

The timescales for the commencement of the consultation are currently being finalised with the Scottish Government and the Stirling Council Beauly to Denny Steering Group. The Consultation period will last for 30 working days, during which time comments on the proposals can be submitted to ScottishPower. Following consideration of consultee comments, ScottishPower will formulate proposals for final submission to the Scottish Government. These proposals will be subject to a further consultation of 30 days between the Scottish Government and Stirling Council, prior to a decision being made by the Scottish Minister.
 

Media information: Paul Ferguson: 0141 566 4515 / 07702 665 924
 

Notes to editors:

1.  ScottishPower has been granted planning permission to upgrade the 20km section of the 220km line that lies within the company’s network area

2.  The 20km section extends from the north of Stirlingshire to Denny near Falkirk

3.  The mitigation areas detailed in the condition of consent are –

19.—(1) Neither the overhead transmission line or the towers carrying that line shall be installed or constructed in the area of Stirling Council until–

(a) the applicant has submitted to the Scottish Ministers for approval a scheme prepared in accordance with this condition setting out proposals to mitigate the visual impact of the 400kv line in the Stirling area (“the Stirling Visual Impact Mitigation Scheme”); and

(b) the Scottish Ministers have, after consultation with Stirling Council, approved the Stirling Visual Impact Mitigation Scheme.

(2) The Stirling Visual Impact Mitigation Scheme is to include proposals for:

(a) the mitigation of the visual and landscape impact of the line between the top scarp of the Ochil Hills at Cocksburn Wood  (TD199) and Airthey Castle (TD203)

(b) the mitigation of visual and landscape impact of the line between Logie (TD203) and Glenside TD244,

(3)  The Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Stirling Visual Impact Mitigation Scheme unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Scottish Ministers.