NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Use 8 January 2010 DEMAND FOR UNDERGROUNDING OF BEAULY-DENNY The SNP Government must come clean on the Beauly to Denny power line decision and reveal all the advice it had taken on possible alternatives, including the options of subsea cables, undergrounding and the upgrading the East coast pylon route. The demand to release the information comes as MSP Murdo Fraser lodged several parliamentary questions that will force the hand of the SNP Government on the matter. The parliamentary questions are as follows: · To ask the Scottish Executive (TATSE) to release all the advice it had taken on alternatives to the Beauly to Denny power line application, such as subsea cables, undergrounding and the upgrading the East coast pylon route. · TATSE what compensation will be paid for loss of trade or amenity for those adversely affected by Beauly-Denny pylon line upgrade or by its construction. · TATSE when it expects to resolve the issue of mitigation for communities affected by the Beauly-Denny pylon line upgrade. · TATSE what it believes will constitute appropriate mitigation for communities affected by the Beauly-Denny pylon line upgrade, in terms of the planning consent. · TATSE if it considers that undergrounding of the line will be required as mitigation for communities affected by the Beauly-Denny pylon line upgrade. Murdo believes that the SNP Government has not put down strong enough conditions to the power line being built, such as not insisting that the line is buried at Stirling and Perthshire. Murdo Fraser said: “It is extremely disappointing that the conditions placed on Scottish & Southern Energy are weak and will not protect Stirling, Perthshire and the many other communities affected by the power line. “I want the SNP Government to come clean and release all the evidence it had taken on alternatives to the Beauly to Denny power line. There are fears that the SNP Ministers failed to fully consider viable alternatives to the new line, such as strengthening the east coast line or sub-sea cables. “The decision to give the go ahead to the Beauly to Denny power line was a decision for the SNP alone and they have failed to reflect the wishes of the constituents affected by the power line. Although I recognise that we need to upgrade our infrastructure, I want to see undergrounding at sections of the line in areas of high scenic value and near communities. This would mean the line would be buried near Stirling and in Perthshire. It is a scandal that the SNP Ministers have not put a condition of undergrounding for the line at Stirling and near communities such as Crieff in Perthshire. “The SNP Government has given the go ahead to a power line that will cut through the Cairngorms National Park, destroy majestic and outstanding landscapes and wildlife habitats in Perthshire, run through the historic Sheriffmuir battlefield and spoil the Wallace Monument and Stirling’s skyline. The SNP Government has not listened to the thousands of concerns and objections to the line and I hope that people will let them know what they think of this decision at the ballot box.” ENDS   back to top of page