Section 37 application for the Spittal – Loch Buidhe – Beauly 400kV Overhead Line (OHL) connection
Hearings as part of Public Inquiry
Following objections from The Highland Council, a number of Statutory Consultees, and all Community Councils along the proposed Spittal - Beauly OHL, a Public Inquiry is taking place. As part of the Public Inquiry the following Hearings have been arranged by the Reporters.
Members of the public may attend these as observers but cannot speak unless they have previously opted into the public inquiry process:
Landscape and Visual Impact Hearing
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24 November, Station Hotel, Dornoch, from 9:30am
Cultural Heritage Hearing
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25-27 November 2026, Station Hotel, Dornoch 9:30am
Community Hearings
It is proposed that sessions would be held in the afternoon and evening at each location, with the likely time slots being between 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8:00/8:30pm.
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Monday 30 November 2026 –Scotscalder Hall, Halkirk
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Tuesday 01 December 2026 - Duthac Centre, Tain
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Wednesday 02 December 2026 - Strathpeffer Pavillion, Strathpeffer
Transport and Traffic Hearing
Thursday 03 December 2026 - Strathpeffer Pavillion, Strathpeffer
Where to see documents
The following are links to online document stores. The SG-ECU and THC links require you to download copies of each document, the SSEN link allows you to view the documents on your screen:
Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit - Application reference is: ECU00006008 https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationDetails.aspx?cr=ECU00006008
The Highland Council - Application reference is: 25/03311/S37
https://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=relatedCases&keyVal=T20PU2IH0LC00
Loch Fleet, Loch Brora and Glen Loth SLA
In 2001, The Highland Council (THC) identified Loch Fleet, Loch Brora and Glen Loth as an Area of Great Landscape Value. In 2009 citations were drawn up in order to understand the special qualities of such areas, now known as Special Landscape Areas (SLAs), and the possible impact of future development. In 2010 the SLAs were confirmed and adopted into the Highland Wide Local Development Plan. The proposed OHL goes right through the SLA.
Our community has fought hard since the mid 90’s to preserve this special landscape and our coastal hills from intrusive development. To date we have succeeded, and the pattern of development has been to preserve the coastal ridgelines. The existing wind farms at Gordonbush and Kilbraur are behind the ridge, more discreetly sited to preserve views from our coastal communities, inland straths, the A9 and points across the Firth; and are sited outside the SLA.
This application is different, it is for 173km of overhead line with pylons of up to 71.67m height (Applicant EIA Volume 5, Appendix 3.1). This development will have a wide visual impact on the coastal scenery and inland straths of this part of East Sutherland. The OHL would run right through the middle of the SLA, a designated landscape.
Loth Residents
Loth Residents are a constituted independent group of local residents formed in 2012, originally in opposition to the effect on the SLA of the development of a wind farm at West Garty, a Section 36 application which was refused on 19 October 2018, following a local public inquiry. Loth Residents was subsequently involved in the PLI into the Section 36 application for Kintradwell wind farm which was refused on 03 November 2023.
The proposed Overhead Line would go right through the centre of the SLA running parallel to the coast. Our group’s fundamental purpose is to protect the Loch Fleet, Loch Brora and Glen Loth SLA and the distinctive local coastal and inland landscape. The group represents over 400 residents covering the settlements of Brora and Helmsdale, their associated outlying rural areas and a number of concerned regular repeat visitors.