Beauly, Kilmorack and Kiltarlity communities to hold public meeting over SSEN Transmission’s Fanellan substation project
Horrified residents in Highland communities are to hold a public meeting to discuss controversial plans for a major substation near Beauly.
Campaigners against plans for a 400kV substation and converter station project at Fanellan say the communities of Beauly, Kilmorack and Kiltarlity are stunned at the expected level of construction traffic and the length of time their lives will be disrupted.
A meeting will be held at Kiltarlity Village Hall on Tuesday April 8 at 7pm.
• SSEN Transmission submits planning application for Fanellan substation project
SSEN Transmission submitted a planning application for the project to Highland Council last month.
It says it is a ‘key strategic development’ which will play a major role in supporting national energy security and clean power targets.
But the campaign group, Communities B4 Power Companies, says it will have a huge impact on the area and has produced its own digital book of testimonials in which local residents talk about their fears.
Campaigner Lyndsey Ward said the additional traffic which will be generated during construction is causing particular worry.
“There has been huge amounts of stress and despair at what SSEN is intending to do in this area,” she said.
“The cumulative impact of battery energy storage systems, substation upgrades, new substations, potential wind farms makes people wonder where it will all end.
“The roads will become unbearable for those of us who live here and tourists trying to get to destinations.”
Ms Ward said the campaign’s own analysis of traffic numbers showed there would be almost daily 320 two-way HGV trips plus additional traffic.
She said during the first phase, traffic will go through Kiltality village while Black Bridge is upgraded - although no application for that has been submitted yet.
She urged Highland Council to throw out the Fanellan application until the Black Bridge upgrade was approved, saying Kiltality village would otherwise suffer the entire construction traffic over many years.
“The siting of Fanellan is beyond ludicrous,” she said.
“If the Black Bridge is closed for two years and there is an accident or flooding on the road to and through Kiltarlity, people will be trapped.
“Those who can drive would face unacceptably lengthy diversions and those who can’t would be stuck. What about emergency care? Ambulances and fire engines? They would not be able to get through.”
