Giant 60m pylons will strech across the Scottish Highlands if the plan goes ahead

Giant 60m pylons will strech across the Scottish Highlands if the plan goes ahead

The controversial replacement power line, which will see 60m (200ft) pylons march across some of the most spectacular scenery in the Highlands, looks set to be approved.

A leaked report over the weekend said the Scottish Government will give the go-ahead for a replacement line of 600 giant transmission towers stretching from Beauly near Inverness to Denny near Falkirk. The project has split opinion in Scotland, with Scottish Labour and the Green party backing the scheme, but outdoor groups condemning the proposal.

Today, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland reiterated its opposition to the scheme.

The council’s chief officer David Gibson said: “In making the following statement, we recognise that unnamed renewables industry sources were the origin of this story.

“Our view is unchanged from our previous position. The MCofS views a decision to go ahead with the Beauly-Denny line as one which ignores the overwhelming evidence provided to the planning inquiry.

“If it proceeds, the power line will damage some of Scotland’s most important and beautiful mountain landscapes, including a section of the Cairngorms National Park. Scotland’s landscape encourages people from all walks of life to enjoy the mountains, which offer opportunities for recreation, relaxation and tourism. The prospect of a new industrial landscape in the Highlands is one that will have a negative impact on all these activities.

“Until we hear the Government statement, and the extent of the conditions placed upon any approval, we must assume the worst, and that means sacrificing iconic landscapes, rather than taking logical alternative route choices.

“Government and the renewables industry know that Beauly-Denny is not the only means of bringing power south. The power line is not needed as subsea cables would provide a far better long-term solution.”

Dennis Canavan, former MSP and now president of Ramblers Scotland also expressed his anger at the decision on the BBC Scotland Politics Show, saying: “If it does get the go-ahead then it will be an unacceptable act of vandalism.”

The John Muir Trust, which owns much of Ben Nevis, Schiehallion and Quinag, has also opposed the scheme, as have the Scottish Conservatives.

The Scottish Government said “Ministers will make a decision on the Beauly-Denny power line before the end of this year taking into account all relevant factors.”

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