< Back to News

Ampersand News

Power line upgrade given go-ahead

7th January 2010

The Beauly-Denny power line project, described by the Energy Minister as “the most significant grid infrastructure project in a generation”, has received consent, with the assistance of two Counsel from Ampersand.

Ailsa Wilson QC and Marcus McKay of Ampersand, along with Brian Gill of Arnot Manderson Advocates, were instructed by Scotland’s transmission system power companies to represent their interests at the public inquiry into the applications made under the Electricity Act 1989. The project involves the strengthening of an existing transmission line between Beauly, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, and Denny, near Falkirk. Once completed, the upgrade will reduce existing capacity constraints and help to facilitate the transmission of electricity from renewable sources.

The Beauly-Denny project has been extremely controversial. There were over 17,000 objections lodged, including objections from the relevant local planning authorities, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, the John Muir Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage. A public inquiry was heard during 2007 and evidence taken from almost 200 witnesses. The inquiry was the longest such inquiry ever held in Scotland.

Ailsa and Marcus were involved in the project during the Environmental Impact Assessment and have since provided advice and representation in relation to all aspects of the consents process, including the applications under the Electricity Act 1989 (also seeking deemed planning permission), applications under the Planning Acts for new or upgraded electricity substations, compulsory purchase orders and necessary wayleave applications. At the inquiry a number of complex and/or controversial topics were covered, including:

• the “Needs Case” (e.g. licence obligations, system requirements and renewable energy policy background),
  
• Potential Alternatives (underground cables)
  
• Landscape and Visual Effects (for example within the Cairngorms National Park)
  
• Effects on Tourism (for example in the Stirling area)
  
• Effects on Sheriffmuir battlefield
  
• Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMFs) and the application of the Precautionary Principle
  
• Effect on European Protected Species and Natura Sites

The closing submissions prepared by Ailsa and Marcus run to several hundreds of pages and can be viewed at http://www.beaulydenny.co.uk/. The decision of the Scottish Ministers, and the Report of the Inquiry Reporters, can be accessed here.

Ailsa and Marcus are also experienced in renewable energy projects. Their full C.V.s can be viewed here:

Ailsa Wilson QC
Marcus McKay

ShareThis