Highland villages sound alarm over HGV convoys for major energy project

The prospect of HGV convoys on a number of narrow roads in the Highlands has sparked fears for public safety and tourism.

Beauly and its surrounding villages are at the centre of a major upgrade to the electricity network.

Some residents and business people are gravely worried about the scale of expansion.

The developer Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission (SSEN) maintains the works are essential to meet green energy targets.

Two river crossings – the Lovat and the Black Bridge – have meant troubled waters for SSEN. Both are too weak for the thousands of HGV journeys that are planned to build a giant substation at Fanellan near Beauly.

The convoy routes are not certain at this stage – possibly through Inverness or Beauly, or both.

A weight restriction on the listed Lovat Bridge at Beauly would mean a diversion via the Black Bridge.

That would require a replacement, stronger crossing and take a year or two to build.

SSEN, which has submitted a planning application to Highland Council, wants convoys routed through Kiltarlity. The local authority has refused.

Residents fear the impact of constant convoys through the village, where 125 pupils attend a primary school.

Parent Jane Henderson said: “We have to suffer as a community for two years. That’s not like having temporary traffic lights up for two weeks.

“That’s two years of living on a building site. Two years of putting our children’s lives at risk just by travelling around, and two years of basically potentially being isolated during bad weather, flooding, etcetera.”

Fellow parent Kate Dahl said: “We’re massively concerned about the impact on the community in regards to the high amount of HGVs coming through the village when there is a large number of children that rely on the commute to school, the number of children that require wheelchairs, our special needs.”

A number of tenants face eviction to make way for the proposed 800-acre substation at Fanellan.

More than 150 people attended a recent public meeting that ended with unanimous objection to SSEN’s proposals.

Kiltarlity Community Council chairman David Garvie said: “One of the points that came out again and again at the meeting was the safety of children, cycling to schools, horse riders going out on their horse. None of those things could happen if there’s an HGV driving past every minute.”

In a statement, SSEN said: “The proposed Fanellan 400kV AC substation and HVDC converter station is a key component of our proposals to upgrade the transmission network in support of the delivery of 2030 offshore wind generation targets set by the UK and Scottish governments.

“The National Energy System Operator (NESO) carried out extensive studies which identified the need for this project.

“In developing our proposals, we have identified a location that we believe achieves the best balance from an environmental, technical, and economic perspective – while consulting extensively with the local community as part of one of the biggest and most impactful public consultation exercises that the north of Scotland has ever seen.”

Another public concern has been the potential impact on tourism.

Kiltarlity community councillor Donna Peacock said: “Who wants to go on holiday and be near a building site, have the noise, the dust, just to limit their movements as well because of lack of access across the bridge? I think it could affect all businesses.”

Ryan Forbes of Venture Highland Tours said: “One of our most popular routes is around the Beauly Firth.

“We take people from the ships up in Invergordon or staying in hotels in Inverness but I can’t see how it’s possible to be doing tours in this area if that’s under construction.”

Residents have until May 4 to respond to SSEN’s 3,000-page planning application.

Highland Council will consider its own response in due course.