The OHL proposal involves 173km of new overhead pylons to 68.67m height and at much higher altitudes than current construction, often on the top of the ridgeline, they will greatly impact Helmsdale, Glen Loth, Brora, Loch Brora and Strath Fleet.
This development does not follow the established pattern of development, does not follow previous Scottish Government planning decisions in this area and will have a wide visual impact on the coastal scenery of this part of East Sutherland.
Route Map
Link to the map showing the proposed route of the pylons through the North Highlands (proposed route is the blue dotted line on the map:
https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/project-planned-areas/?projectId={c1e2701d-1239-4029-ae0d-87c68830787e}
Photospheres/ Video montages
Various photospheres and video montages have been prepared by the applicant. This is the link to the photosphere portal:
https://www.3dwtech.co.uk/dashboard/ssen/spittal-to-beauly/portal-update/
Once on the portal, you can hover and click on the camera / video icons for the views you wish to see.
Photospheres (camera icons) are available for: The Marrel, Helmsdale Bridge (view is from the A9 bridge, the Telford Bridge has been omitted from the image), Glen Loth, Loch Brora Car Park. Once you are on the photospheres you need to click on the 'Proposed Alignment' button in the top left corner of the image to see the pylon overlay.
Spittal to Brora video montage (pale blue video icon) is available, the portion from Ousdale to Brora begins at timepoint 04:17, the portion covering Glen Loth and Sletdale begins at timepoint 05:30.
Brora to Loch Buidhe video montage (pale blue video icon) is also available, the start of this video covers the ridge line overlooking Brora and crossing Loch Brora and goes on towards Golspie and Rogart.
Viewpoints
The applicant has prepared viewpoint montages and wireline images to the standards required by the Highland Council. Links to the viewpoint within / close to SLA are given below:
Caen - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-25-viewpoint-25---a897-caen.pdf
The Marrel - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-26-viewpoint-26---marrel.pdf
Kilphedir - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-27-viewpoint-27---a897-east-of-kilphedr.pdf
Helmsdale (Couper Park) - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-28-viewpoint-28---helmsdale.pdf
Glen Loth north - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-29-viewpoint-29---glen-loth-north.pdf
Glen Loth south - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-30-viewpoint-30---glen-loth-south.pdf
Greenhill / Achrimsdale - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-31-viewpoint-31---a9-greenhill.pdf
East Brora - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-32-viewpoint-32---east-brora.pdf
Brora A9 - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-33-viewpoint-33---a9-brora.pdf
Inverbrora A9 - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-34-viewpoint-34---a9-inverbrora.pdf
South of Killin (Loch Brora) - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-35-viewpoint-35---south-of-killin.pdf
Loch Brora - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-36-viewpoint-36---loch-brora.pdf
Balnacoil - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-37-viewpoint-37---balnacoil.pdf
Ben Bhraggie - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-39-viewpoint-39---ben-bhraggie.pdf
A9 Loch Fleet - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-43-viewpoint-43---a9-t-loch-fleet.pdf
Loch Fleet - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-44-viewpoint-44---loch-fleet.pdf
Skelbo Castle - https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/globalassets/projects/spittal---loch-buidhe---beauly-section-37-application/volume-4b/volume-4b---chapter-7---figure-7-45-viewpoint-45---skelbo-castle.pdf
Additional Viewpoints/ Other Documents
Further viewpoints, and other documents, have been prepared by the applicant and are available on the link below. To see other visualisations, click on the 'Documents' tab and then scroll down the page to the section marked "EIA Report – Volume 4 Visualisations":
https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/project-map/spittal--loch-buidhe--beauly-400kv-connection/