Our Press Release - 2nd December 2024
LOCAL RESIDENT FACES OBJECTIONS BY SSEN FOR PROPOSING TO BUILD ON THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY!
Communities B4 Power Companies discovered two objections submitted by multinational SSEN, opposing applications by a local resident to develop two dwellings on their own private land.
The multinational, which is proposing to construct a substation at Fanellan, near Beauly, with a site footprint of 868 acres, along with power lines cross-hatching much of the Highlands, has claimed in its objections that the land on which the dwellings are proposed is required for their developments. SSEN uses Net Zero targets, NPF4 and the 2012 HWLDP to support their objections.
The planning applications were received by the Highland Council (THC) in May 2024, during the period in which SSEN were still engaging in public consultations; i.e. no application for pylons or OHLs had been submitted. No details had been finalised.
SSEN states in its objection: ‘To this end, a proposed dwelling house anywhere within the application site seriously risks the entire delivery of this nationally significant project’. SSEN also refers to the 'informal and formal pre-application discussions over approximately the past two years' with THC.
Residents and businesses up and down the proposed overhead lines routes are now questioning whether or not, during the two years leading up to this consultation period, SSEN would have been able to object to any dwelling or structure proposal that fell within the multitude of 'corridors' shown on their multiple maps, using legislation and policy to support their representations.
If SSEN could have, many avenues of several kilometres wide and hundreds of miles long would be off limits for anyone to develop. Communities B4 Power Companies ask, ‘Shouldn’t THC (and all other regional councils) have been obligated to advertise this scenario during the years of ‘discussions’ with SSEN and the past nineteen months during which the multinational has failed to finalise the corridors for development, to save applicants the time and money it costs to submit applications.
Where does the responsibility lie to be open and honest with the people living in the Highlands?
SSEN's 'site' for development covers an area too large to specify, making off limits huge swathes of land throughout the Highlands.
CB4PC asks political representatives to wake up and speak out! It must NOT become acceptable - the NORM - for multinationals to steamroll over private individuals who wish to develop their own land or use it in a way that could detract from a multinational’s goals.
SSEN claims that these OHLs, pylons, and substations are just the start, and that there is much much more to come our way. There will be nowhere in rural Scotland where people can propose new homes. Nowhere they can live in peace, free from industrialisation. Everywhere will be a corridor or a plot for SSEN to cordon off for their own prospective use. SSEN will be the laird of the Highlands.
END
SSEN'S objection can be seen in the document dated 6 July.
https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SE94HKIHM1300
SSEN response in Documents as 'objection comment'
And again, on this proposal in document dated 5 July.
https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SE95WFIHM1A00
SSEN response in Documents as 'objection comment'
