Pylons still top of agenda in Stirling

Graeme Breen • Published 1 Feb 2012 09:30

A COUNCIL Steering Group has met with the Minister for Energy to follow up on discussions for visual mitigation of the controversial Beauly to Denny power line.

Stirling Council's Beauly to Denny Power Line Steering Group met with Fergus Ewing MSP, to discuss the Minister's recent decision to approve Scottish Power Transmission's Visual Impact Mitigation Scheme though the Stirling area. The meeting was also held to discuss the additional compensatory mitigation requested by the Minister. Stirling's Eastern villages will be particularly affected by the line's visual impact, with Plean bearing much of the brunt.

The Minster acknowledged that there are a lot of people who are disappointed by his decision but, now it has been made, he hopes that there will be a willingness to move forward to improve the landscape for the affected communities, with an additional £3-5 million of compensatory measures from SPT.

Mr Ewing proposed that Stirling Council, the Central Scotland Green Network, Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, SPT, local communities and other interested parties works in partnership to develop and deliver a masterplan for the area, lead by the Council. The Minister hopes that this will visually enhance the landscape and amenity of the area, and leave a lasting legacy for the benefit of the communities.

Outlining his stance, Fergus Ewing said: "I approved SPT's proposals as I was satisfied that they met the requirement to mitigate the impact of the line, but I also requested that additional measures be undertaken. The discussion with the Steering Group on those additional measures was positive, and I'm pleased all those present recognised the benefits of developing the Green Network measures in partnership, in order to maximise wider community and landscape benefits the length of the line through Stirling."

Chair of the Council's Steering Group, Councillor Callum Campbell said: "We remain disappointed by the decision to approve SPT's Stirling Visual Impact Mitigation Scheme, but welcome the opportunity to discuss the way forward with the Minister. It is critical that Scottish Government and SPT demonstrate their full commitment to make these proposals workable and effective. The Council will ensure that there is a collaborative and participative approach to providing meaningful and lasting improvements to the areas impacted by the power line on behalf of our communities and we look forward to engaging with the other partners as soon as possible."

The additional compensatory measures approved by the Minister are: undergrounding of the existing Fallin to Glenbervie 132kV overhead line and development of the Central Scotland Green Networks initiative in the area of the line to provide compensatory mitigation by landscape, civic amenity and biodiversity improvements.

The Central Scotland Green Network covers an area extending from Ayrshire and Inverclyde in the west, to Fife and the Lothians in the east; and is led by the Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage, with a Partnership Board comprising national agencies, local authorities and the private sector.

Within the Stirling Council area, the Stirling Environment Partnership has developed a Central Scotland Green Network in Stirling Action Plan, which covers Active Travel Network, Landscape Quality and Function, Integrated Habitat Network, Flood Risk and Climate Change Mitigation, and, Community Development and Quality of Life Services.

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This article appeared in Eastside Advertiser 31 Jan 12

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