Scottish Ministers call in controversial plans for Aberdeenshire substation
A complete mockery of local democracy. The reaction from campaigners after Scottish Ministers called in plans for an Aberdeenshire substation.
More than 2,000 people objected to the proposals for the facility near Stonehaven, which would have served the proposed giant pylon network from Kintore to Tealing. They were blocked by councillors in January.
Co-founder of Save Our Mearns Kate Matthews insists the decision not to have a public inquiry defies belief. "We've got a public inquiry for the pylons from Tealing to Kintore. And SSEN themselves has said that the pylons and the substations are interlinked and they wouldn't be doing the substation at Hurlie if it wasn't for the pylons.
Planning applications do not receive this sort of scrutiny from the public. And for those people to have taken the time to express their concerns and now be ignored, not by their council but by their government, is truly offensive".
The Scottish Government has declined to comment.