Perthshire residents are fighting plans for a huge electricity substation on a hillside peatbog.
Braco locals say the Cambushinnie substation will be the size of 17 football pitches.
And they claim an electrical fire at the Feddal Hill site “could burn for weeks”, due to the flammable nature of the peat.
Spokeswoman Ruth Kirton says the threat is real.
“The recent fire at Heathrow has highlighted the risk of fire in these types of developments,” she said.
Campaigners have formed a protest group, called Peat Burns, to oppose the plans from SSEN Transmission.
They are also warning thousands of construction lorries will pose a serious danger on rural roads around Braco, between Blackford and Dunblane.
SSEN Transmission submitted its planning application to Perth and Kinross Council this week.
The power company says it needs the Cambushinnie 400kV substation for the proposed Beauly to Denny overhead line upgrade from 275kV to 400kV.
It will be built next to an existing 275kV substation at Feddal Hill, near Braco.
A separate application for an access road is likely to be submitted this summer.
This will divert heavy lorries away from Braco during the delivery of the 400kV transformers.
However, SSEN Transmission has confirmed construction traffic will have to travel through the village while the new road is being built.
Locals ‘frustrated and upset’ at Braco substation proposals
Ruth and her neighbours have formed Peat Burns to try to raise the alarm.
They claim SSEN Transmission is ignoring locals’ concerns.
The retired nurse’s family home is beside the unsurfaced road to the substation site.
And she says she and neighbours will be “marooned” when heavy vehicles turn the surface to mud.
“We are frustrated and upset,” said Ruth.
“We lived through the building of the first substation, so we know what is about to happen.
“It’s going to be a huge upset to the local community.”
Beyond the issues with the road, the campaigners insist it is simply the wrong site for a project of this nature and scale.
Ruth added: “Planning permission has already been consented to build 100 battery storage units next to the substation which will turn the top of Feddal hill into an industrial wasteland.”
Power bosses move to reassure residents
The Courier put the campaigners’ concerns to SSEN Transmission.
A spokesperson said: “Our proposals for Cambushinnie substation aim to achieve the best balance from an environmental and technical perspective, while taking account of the views of the local community with whom we have consulted extensively.
“Our proposals include measures for peatland restoration and biodiversity net gain, while our environmental assessments have considered potential noise and visual impacts which we will continue to engage with the community on.”
The spokesperson added: “Plans for a separate access road will result in associated construction traffic travelling through Braco village for a short period while the road is being built.
“However once completed it will be used by all construction traffic, avoiding the village and minimising long-term disruption.
“No work will take place on the substation until the access road is completed.”
Conversation