More than 10,000 objections have been lodged against a 70-mile pylon scheme, marking one of the “largest responses of public outcry ever seen” on an energy project.
The “enormous” number of objections marks the closure of the public consultation into plans to install two substations and a chain of 350 pylons measuring 190ft from Kintore in Aberdeenshire to Tealing in Angus.
In the last week alone, the number of responses sent to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit have more than doubled, from 4,500, to around 10,300 last night.
The final decision now lies with Scottish ministers who are responsible for approving applications to build onshore electricity generating stations with capacities exceeding 50 megawatts, as well as all applications to install overhead power lines.
In their objections, residents have voiced concerns about the detrimental impact on their health, the desecration of the countryside, the devaluation of their properties, and the harm on prime farmland.
Aberdeenshire councillor Tracey Smith, who is the co-founder of the Save Our Mearns campaign group, hopes the high number of objections will put a stop to the “monstrosity”.
The Scottish Conservative Mearns councillor said: “Each and every one of us across our communities should be proud of coming together to ensure our voices are well and truly heard on these proposals which are a monstrosity.
“The enormous number of objections sends a clear message to the Scottish Government that these plans are not welcome in the North East.
“These are among the highest number of responses of public outcry ever seen for a project like this in Scotland which emphasises the sheer level of concern and frustration at residents not being heard.
“The Scottish Government has no understanding of the magnitude of this issue and are treating our rural communities as an afterthought by not engaging with them during the pre-application and planning process.
“Ministers must listen to these objections and end these attempts to ruin our precious countryside and prime land that has been farmed on for generations.”
Scottish Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Alexander Burnett, added: “Our communities across the proposed pylon route deserve a huge amount of credit for their work on such an important issue in everyone’s lives.
“These high number of objections underline the real concerns of people living and working in rural areas who fear becoming imprisoned by this over industrialisation of their countryside and farmland.
“Community consent and local democracy are vital, but residents have been completely ignored throughout the planning process.
“Now is the time for government ministers to finally do what’s right by throwing out these plans to safeguard residents, farmers and our communities.”
