SSEN extends consultation on controversial plans to turn Mearns countryside into substation

SSEN has extended its consultation on controversial substation plans in the Mearns countryside by two weeks.

The decision comes after the rural community rallied against the proposals.

Campaigners believe the development will “ruin” the tranquility and look of the countryside – made famous by Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s Sunset Song.

SSEN has proposed two substations at Fiddes and Tealing, which will form part of a project for a new overhead line between Kintore and Tealing.

Consultations were initially set to close on June 9, but have now been extended to June 23.

SSEN said they have made the decision “in recognition of the extent of local interest in the project particularly around the Mearns area of Aberdeenshire”.

They said they hope the decision to extend will allow everyone to make their views heard.

The substation at Fiddes will be around 2,300ft by 2,300ft, or 120 acres, the same size as the Blackhillock substation near Keith – which was the largest substation in the UK when it was built in 2019.

SSEN insists the proposals are necessary to enable the connection of renewable energy and to fight against climate change.

SSEN talks through its plans for the east coast here:

Campaigners welcome consultation extension

The extension decision has been welcomed by campaigners Kate Matthews and Tracey Smith.

They set up the Save Our Mearns group on Facebook, which has already reached 860 members.

Kate Matthews, who has lived in the area for 14 years, said: “We started the group because the SSEN public consultation has been badly mismanaged and most Mearns residents have no idea about the SSEN plan to devastate the Howe of the Mearns with 230ft high pylons and an enormous substation at Barras.

“We have met residents living directly along the preferred route who have heard nothing from SSEN and others who feel bullied by SSEN reps trying to access their properties.

“A huge area of Scotland’s finest landscapes are threatened by SSEN who have cleverly disguised their commercial opportunism as climate concern and ‘supporting net zero targets’.

“SSEN has divided Scotland into small groups of nimbys by hiding the true scope of their plans under separate project headings whilst ruling out less visually intrusive options such as subsea and underground lines on the basis of cost leaving our communities to pick up the tab.”

How has the Mearns substation consultation been going?

The energy firm has already hosted six events where 597 people turned up as part of the consultation process.

But many residents have expressed concerns the meetings were more of a “box-ticking exercise” and claimed the very detailed plans made it look like SSEN’s decision has already been made.

Mrs Clark, who lives in the property where Sunset Song author Grassic Gibbon was born, went to a consultation but felt as if the SSEN representatives were just “trying to be polite”.

Another Mearns resident, Geophysical advisor Paul Mitchell said many locals have only found out through word of mouth about the proposals and that SSEN’s communication has been “poor”.

What does SSEN say about the extension?

But SSEN has said it would like to reassure people that no decisions have yet been taken on potential overhead line routes or substation locations and the project remains at the early stages of development.

A spokesperson for SSEN Transmission said: “The Kintore-Fiddes-Tealing 400kV project is part of a GB-wide programme of works that are required to meet UK and Scottish Government 2030 net zero and energy security targets.

“We are currently at the early stages of development are seeking feedback on potential route options and substation location and would like to thank everyone who has shared their feedback so far, which will be carefully considered as we further refine our plans.”

For more information on the proposals, visit the dedicated project webpage on SSEN’s website.