The proposed Spittal - Loch Buidhe - Beauly 400kV overhead line is a National Development as set out in Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), which means the need for the project has been established. The north of Scotland is generating increasing volumes of renewable energy, and capacity in the transmission network must be increased to meet this demand.
However, the current proposal would have significant adverse impacts on the integrity of the setting of 28 scheduled monuments. HES has concluded that the Environmental Impact Assessment Report does not provide sufficient evidence that the impacts of the proposal on the historic environment have been taken into account fully in the design process. HES is therefore objecting to the proposal in its current state.
HES recommends that SSEN undertakes further work to produce appropriate visualisations for a number of scheduled monuments and some additional assessment of impacts on the Fairburn Inventory Garden and Designed Landscape. This information will help to clarify the level of impacts on the historic environment.
HES’s role as a consultee on any such development proposal is solely restricted to commenting on historic environment matters with any application considered on its own merits and in accordance with Scottish Government policy. HES will also consider the proposals in accordance with the Historic Environment Policy for Scotland and its own guidance on Managing Change in the Historic Environment, which is available on the HES website.
To read the full response please visit the Scottish Government website.
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
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