A family living in the middle of a proposed new overhead power line route near Fetteresso Forest say they are suffering from sleepless nights.
Sheena Hickey and Chris Webster spoke out against SSEN’s plan to install a new 400kV overhead line from Kintore to Tealing.
The project includes two new substations built, one at Tealing, six miles north of Dundee, and another at Fetteresso Forest near Stonehaven that could almost be the size of Inverbervie.
But the anxious couple fear the proposed development will do more harm than good.
What is going on at Fetteresso Forest?
SSEN is investing more than £20 billion in major projects needed to upgrade the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland.
Works will allow new onshore and offshore facilities to connect to the network, ensuring power can be transmitted across the UK when it is needed.
The Fetteresso Forest substation, dubbed Hurlie after the nearby bog, replaces previous plans at Fiddes which was scrapped last year.
SSEN will press ahead with the Hurlie site as it avoids impacting on nearby homes and Bloomfield Steading, the former home of Scottish author Lewis Grassic Gibbon.
The energy company confirmed that the size of the substation was “still in development”.
But there is “no indication” to make it bigger than the previous Fiddes site which was due to be a whopping 120 acres.
If approved, it would make the substation one of the largest in the UK.
SSEN has vowed to replace every tree felled to make way for the substation.
And, the firm promises the ongoing project could create up to 400 new jobs in the north of Scotland.
Family left in a ‘horrible position’
Sheena and Chris live on Nether Quithel Farm near Stonehaven with their five-year-old daughter.
The couple were only informed about the energy project at the end of December and revealed they have been left “arguing, crying and stressed” about it all.
They have lived there for the last seven years and had hoped it would be their forever home. But now admit they feel “stuck”.
Sheena explained: “We don’t want to move but we are in this horrible position.
“How do you sell a house to someone when this is all going on? How do you sell it once it has happened because no-one will want to live there.”
The worried mother also has major concerns about the safety of her young daughter.
“She plays outside most of the time but there is going to be construction noise and lorries, and our house is against the side of a road.”
Protestors want to see ‘monster’ pylons axed
SSEN held a public consultation at Stonehaven Bowling Club this week to give residents the chance to learn more about the Hurlie substation.
While the company set up their information boards inside, campaigners from Save our Mearns propped up a banner at the door urging a stop to the “monster” pylons.
Group founders Kate Matthews and Tracey Smith also stood at the front door, handing out QR codes linking to the group’s social media pages.
Kate claimed the proposal was a “gold rush”.
She added: “They are going to take our land, they are going to ruin our futures and we are going to be left with a chemical wasteland.”
‘People don’t realise what’s coming’
Meanwhile, Tracey believes that people in the area “don’t realise what’s coming”.
She said the group were worried that the new substation would create an unwanted and annoying hum.
The objector compared the new site to the one near Beauly. Noise there was was so loud it was served a noise abatement notice by Highland Council.
Tracey stated: “A concern we have is the noise factor, this station is going to be huge in comparison.
“We are also concerned about the size of this substation so close to Stonehaven which is a pretty seaside town.
“Construction traffic during tourist season is going to be horrific.”
But SSEN told the Press and Journal that they would carry out “robust” noise monitoring on site to make sure any disruption was limited.
The firm also believes the chances of any noise impact hitting Stonehaven would be “very low” due to the distance between the substation and the town.
‘It’s completely unnecessary’
Meanwhile, Eileen West of Deeside Against Pylons attended to battle it out with SSEN.
She claimed the proposal was “really disgraceful”.
Ms West said: “There’s technology out there that means we don’t need this, it’s completely unnecessary.
“There’s a lot of anger on the entire route, it’s just catastrophic for the whole area.
“It will virtually end tourism because we have a beautiful landscape, nobody wants to come and see pylons.”
In a final blow she said: “SSEN are basically destroying the environment to save the environment.”
What will happen next?
SSEN has been holding public information events over the last two weeks and will host more sessions in June.
Bosses say feedback will help to shape the final proposals. They are expected to be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council later this year.
If the plans are approved, construction could begin in 2026 with the substation in operation by 2029.
A spokeswoman for SSEN said the events have been a “great opportunity” to share more about the plans and hear some of the local communities’ concerns first hand.
She added: “While the projects are still in the development phase, all feedback we receive will be reviewed and carefully considered by our teams to help shape our proposals further, before we then return again in the summer with updated plans.
“We remain committed to working closely with the local community and stakeholders throughout the development of this project.
“With further public events planned throughout next week, we encourage anyone who is interested in hearing about our proposals to come along to find out more.”
Conversation