Aberdeenshire Council 'no objection' to Kintore-Tealing power line
SSEN Transmission says its project is critical to the delivery of clean and affordable power
- Published
Aberdeenshire Council says it has raised no objection to a power line project that councillors in a neighbouring local authority branded "a colossal act of vandalism".
Energy firm SSEN Transmission has lodged plans with the Scottish government for the overhead line, which would see pylons erected along a 66-mile (106km) route between Kintore in Aberdeenshire and Tealing in Angus.
A motion by Angus Council leader George Meechan to object to the plan was unanimously backed by councillors on Tuesday.
SSEN Transmission said the project, external represented a "critical step towards securing clean, affordable power".
The Scottish government, which will ultimately decide whether to give the go ahead, has consulted local authorities on the plans.
In a submission to the government's Energy Consents Unit, Aberdeenshire Council's head of planning and economy, Paul Macari, said the authority did not object to the scheme.
The submission said certain councillors were consulted as part of the process.
Thousands of people in the Mearns, an area of Aberdeenshire south of Aberdeen, have voiced their opposition to the plans.
Mearns Conservative councillor Tracey Smith said she was extremely disappointed with Aberdeenshire Council's decision.
She said: "My intention is to fight this all the way to Holyrood.
"The voices of 11,000 people can't be ignored."
Aberdeenshire Council's response was made under delegated powers, meaning the decision was made by the local authority's officials.
A spokesperson added: "This is done following consultation with councillors, in line with the requirements of the scheme of governance."
SSEN Transmission's project is a key component of its wider £22bn Pathway to 2030 investment programme, external.
The steel towers needed will typically be 187ft (57m) high - significantly taller than most pylons in Scotland - and some could be as high as 246ft (75m).
A spokesperson said: "The Kintore-Tealing project has been developed in line with all relevant policies and legislation, balancing key community and environmental considerations with technical and economic factors."
"The project represents a critical step towards securing clean, affordable power for families across the country. It will help reduce reliance on imported energy from overseas, remove grid bottlenecks, and strengthen energy security at a time when security and affordability matter most."