Council opposes Kendoon to Tongland pylon plans

A council has decided to oppose plans to replace 27 miles (43km) of overhead power lines in south west Scotland.

Planning officers had advised the Dumfries and Galloway authority not to object to the proposals between Kendoon and Tongland.

However, councillors said they had "real concerns" about the impact on the landscape in the area.

The final say on the proposal by Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) will lie with the Scottish government.

The council had been advised by planning officers not to oppose the project as they concluded its "limited significant landscape, visual and cumulative effects" were insufficient to justify an objection.

After a lengthy debate, the local authority's planning committee decided it would not accept that recommendation.

Instead, councillors said they felt it had not been proved that the proposals would not have a significant detrimental impact on regional scenic areas.

Opponents want to see the cables taken underground to reduce their environmental and tourism impact.

SPEN said putting the replacement lines underground was technically possible, but would add more than £90m to the cost of the upgrade.

A spokesperson for the company said: ""We have carefully considered the use of undergrounding, as an alternative to an overhead line, as part of a detailed study published in August 2020.

"While undergrounding would mitigate some effects, such as landscape and visual, it would have potentially greater effects on environmental considerations such as ecology and archaeology.

"Our proposals have been developed over the last five years and include detailed mitigation plans to reduce, offset and avoid effects on the environment of Dumfries and Galloway and the people who live, work and recreate within it."

SPEN said it would work with the with council and Scottish government "to understand the next steps in the process".

The network was originally constructed in the 1930s and is considered to be at the end of its life.

The lines connect five hydro-electric powers stations that serve Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire with electricity.

Steel electricity towers to be used in the upgrade would range in height from about 23m (75ft) to 39m (128ft).

Campaigner Paul Swift welcomed the decision to oppose the project by the council.

"I think now the work begins all over again, we try and get the message out to the general public of this area," he said.

"A lot of people still don't know what is involved - they don't realise the upheaval that it is going to take for five years."