John Swinney has revealed he will not meet concerned residents ahead of the imminent submission of plans to create 550 “monstrous pylons” across the Highlands and North East of Scotland.
Following a request by North East MSP Douglas Lumsden at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Swinney said he “cannot engage himself” with communities amid SSEN’s imminent planning application to build 550 190ft pylons across Scotland’s countryside.
The proposals cover several routes, spanning from the Highland village of Beauly to Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, as well as Kintore to Tealing in Angus.
A grassroots gathering of politicians and residents on renewable developments in Aberdeenshire and Angus is being planned for later this year.
It comes after SNP energy secretary Gillian Martin, who is currently in Japan at their annual Wind Expo, refused to attend a similar event in Beauly back in June, involving 52 community councils representing over 72,000 Highland residents.
That’s despite a freedom of information request showing she met SSEN officials officially on three separate occasions last year.
Following Mr Lumsden’s calls to meet residents, Mr Swinney responded: “I can’t engage myself in issues that will be determined by ministers of this nature and the proper process will be taken forward.”
After FMQs, Douglas Lumsden said: “It’s a public scandal that John Swinney is refusing to meet residents over these monstrous pylon plans, but Scottish Government officials and his energy secretary Gillian Martin are all too happy to meet with SSEN.
“The SNP are choosing to destroy our countryside and they want to silence rural Scotland’s voice while they do it.
“John Swinney’s pitiful excuse of hiding behind the ministerial code will not wash with these communities, who have had enough of this onslaught.
“This First Minister has no empathy for the concerns of people living and working in rural areas who fear becoming imprisoned by pylons, wind farms and battery storage plants.
“I will not give up in my pursuit of ensuring the voices of these communities are heard during the planning process for both this SSEN application, and the many others that risk destroying our countryside.”
