Dumfries and Galloway Council slammed for 11th-hour U-turn on powerline proposal

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Campaigners have slammed the council for performing an 11th-hour U-turn on an overhead power line bid.The local authority had opposed SP Energy Network’s plan to build a pylon chain between Glenlee and Tongland.But, less than a fortnight before a public inquiry was due to begin, councillors changed their stance following a closed-doors crisis meeting with lawyers.They learned at the planning applications committee their objection was “no longer stateable” – meaning it could not be defended legally if challenged.The development stunned opponents preparing to give evidence at the upcoming public inquiry which is due to open in Kirkcudbright on Monday.Lead objectors Galloway Without Pylons, which wants the power line buried underground and has raised £12,500 to fight its legal case, described the development as a “shambles”.Coordinator Paul Swift said: “For the council to withdraw their objection with days to go seems like a dereliction of duty, especially to the other 940 objectors.“I’m shocked and surprised because the council have put a lot of work in so far.“They cite that the landscape and visual impact report produced by SPEN for the inquiry has addressed their concerns about the impact on the two regional scenic areas.

How?“What about the concerns of the 900 plus objectors? The objections were not just about landscape and visual impacts, they were also about traffic/transport upheaval during the five years of construction, the impact on tourism, impact on forestry and they were about the route selection and the need for increased capacity.“I offered the planning committee the opportunity to meet our expert so that he could explain the conclusions to his research but they declined the offer.“What is certain is that