Plans by SSEN (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks) for a 400kV substation near Stonehaven, named Hurlie, have been rejected by Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee following a tense seven-hour debate on 30 January 2026. The contentious proposal for the facility at Fetteresso Forest had garnered significant public opposition, with over 2,000 letters of objection submitted to the council.
The Hurlie substation was intended to replace a previous scheme at Fiddes, which was scrapped three years ago. SSEN contended that the new substation was crucial for expanding national grid capacity and facilitating clean energy provision for future generations.
Chris Gardner of SSEN presented the developer’s final case to the Woodhill House meeting, asserting that the Hurlie substation would be an “environmentally responsible, sensitively sited and well-screened development.”
He further stated: “It is designed to deliver nationally critical grid capacity that will support clean power and energy security targets in a way that respects local amenity and environmental quality.”
Mr Gardner highlighted the projected economic benefits for the region, forecasting “an estimated spend of up to £1 billion on local businesses, boosting the Aberdeenshire economy by up to £820 million and supporting an estimated 1,140 jobs across the region.”
He also noted that 91 homes for construction workers would be built in Stonehaven. Addressing environmental concerns, particularly regarding the Scottish Crossbill bird species, SSEN confirmed it was conducting pre-construction surveys for all bird species and had a bird species protection plan developed in agreement with NatureScot.
Support for the project also came from the business community. Jason Stewart of the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce argued that the substation was vital for the region’s economic future. He commented: “Upgrading our energy grid is absolutely key to unlocking investment in a range of sectors that will be important to our future economy.”
Councillor Dawn Black, representing Stonehaven, expressed her reluctant support, stating, “The substation equals transmission, which unlocks the potential of projects for this region.” She warned that a lack of transmission infrastructure investment could lead to projects moving elsewhere, causing economic suffering and job losses in the north-east’s transition from oil and gas.
In Case You Missed it:
However, objectors maintained that the development was the “wrong development in the wrong place” and constituted “wanton destruction” of the Fetteresso Forest’s woodland and wildlife habitat. Many also raised concerns about the potential industrialisation of the rural landscape.
Mearns Councillor George Carr urged refusal, citing fears of landscape alteration and potential flooding issues. He added: “We were promised a just transition. I am not actually seeing that and that is increasingly concerning me week by week with what I am seeing unfolding in the north-east of Scotland.”
The final vote resulted in a tie, with the casting vote falling to the committee chairman, Stonehaven Councillor Alan Turner. Councillor Turner, who had previously voiced concerns about the substation’s impact on the landscape and the “industrialisation of the area,” decided to refuse the application.
