Powerline given go-ahead
The controversial Beauly-Denny powerline is to be given approval, despite the efforts of Ramblers Scotland. A Government leak in October suggested Scottish Ministers were ready to give the green light to the 220km/138-mile line of 600 mega-pylons, which would run through the heart of the Highlands, including the Cairngorms National Park, and would pass the iconic Wallace Monument at Stirling (above). Dennis Canavan, convener of Ramblers Scotland, said: “This is an unacceptable act of vandalism. Our countryside is a national asset that we should be looking after for future generations”. Ramblers Scotland joined forces with other organisations, such as the John Muir Trust, the National Trust for Scotland and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, to oppose the powerline when it was first proposed in 2005, attracting 17,000 objections from the public. They argue there are sufficient alternatives that would entail far less environmental destruction, including reinforcing the existing eastcoast powerline and sub-sea cables. “Wind, tidal and wave energy may be renewable but Scotland’s precious landscapes are a finite resource, ” said Ramblers Scotland’s Dave Morris. “While the Beauly-Denny powerline may be the most lucrative option for the energy companies, that does not make it the best option for Scotland.”
