The Scottish Government has officially announced it has received more than 10,400 objections against a 70-mile pylon scheme ahead of a public local inquiry taking place next month.
Details of four community hearing sessions on plans to install two substations and a chain of 350 pylons measuring up to 246ft from Kintore in Aberdeenshire to Tealing in Angus have now been published.
North East MSP Douglas Lumsden has called on communities to “pack out the room and make their voices heard” at the consultation events, which start on Tuesday, June 16, from 2.30pm at Banchory Town Hall.
The day after, residents will be given the chance to raise their concerns to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division at Tealing Village Hall between 6pm and 8pm.
The remaining two community hearing sessions will take place at Brechin City Hall from 2.30pm on Thursday, June 18, followed by Kintore Public Hall between 6pm and 8pm on Friday, June 19.
Ahead of the events, for the first time, the Scottish Government has announced the exact number of objections it has received, totalling 10,431 from the public, in addition to a further nine from organisations who were statutory consultees.
Scottish Conservative energy spokesman and North East MSP, Douglas Lumsden, said: “These plans are a colossal act of vandalism on an industrial scale.
“It’s no surprise the proposals have attracted some of the highest number of objections ever seen for an overhead power line project in the UK.
“Our communities deserve an enormous amount of credit for coming together to voice their concerns on this monstrous scheme, which is driving people out of their homes.
“The four community hearing sessions next month will give residents the opportunity to pack out the room and make their voices heard.
In Case You Missed it:
“This desecration of our countryside is impacting people’s health, significantly devaluing their properties, and harming prime farmland.
“That is why I hope these events, along with the enormous number of objections, sends a clear message to the Scottish Government that these plans must be stopped as a matter of urgency.”
