The family behind Angus’s first eco-campsite have spoken out against “devastating” proposals to route a powerline over their business.
Kate Latham and her husband Stig opened Greenhillock Glamping in 2016, building on Kate’s parents 25 years rewilding their remote farmland.
But the family were dismayed to discover one proposed route for the overhead Angus powerline cuts across their business, threatening a lifetime of work.
Kate said they first learned of the plan from a neighbour in late February.
She said: “The proposal could see the destruction of our beautiful meadows, significant disturbance to the native habitat we have spent years creating and, ultimately, the closure of our business.”
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission (SSEN Transmission) plans will see a replacement 132kV Angus powerline running from west of Aberdeen to Tealing, north of Dundee.
The company has proposed three main routes for the replacement line.
The options skirt Brechin and cut through the Angus countryside between Forfar and Arbroath.
SSEN argues the line is essential to plug renewable energy schemes in the North East of Scotland to the grid.
Family’s livelihood ‘ruined’
The string of 27m steel lattice towers will replace a largely wooden pole based line.
Kate has been campaigning against one proposal, known as route one, since she learned of the plans. At least 137 customers and staff members have since backed her and written to the company.
She added: “From the get-go, we have been passionate about bringing a responsible, sustainable, eco-tourism business to Angus and providing a viable future for the land at Greenhillock.
“Over the past six years we have more than achieved this vision.
“We have become a ‘go to’ place for families to get-off grid and unwind together.
“Route one would reverse more than 25 years of rewilding. It would destroy an enterprise which is putting Angus on the map as a tourism destination and ruin my family’s livelihood.”
Many agree, including former employee Shona Varney, who said: “The family who have nurtured this land since the time it was just another arable farm have created a little corner of Eden in a patchwork of fields.
“The proposed route one will utterly destroy this beautiful and tranquil setting.”
Ancient woodlands at risk
SSEN Transmission began an online public consultation in February.
People have until March 12 to make their views known on the various routes for the Angus powerline. The company plans further consultation in the summer.
They rule out leaving the line as it is.
The company argues it has an obligation to make the grid as efficient, co-ordinated and economic as possible. While also protecting the environment.
Route one, however, is not the only difficult option.
The company’s favoured choice, route two, cuts through the heart of Montreathmont Forest, near Brechin.
This proposal cuts through pockets of ancient woodland and trees that have been growing there for at least 300 years.
Workers will have to fell trees and construct paths and other infrastructure along the route, if the work goes ahead.
Woodland experts ‘concerned’
One local man, who did not wish to be named, said he was still not clear why the line was necessary.
He said: “It is not clear how this future proofs the network and builds in capacity for the move to more electric vehicles.
“The preferred route for the line from Brechin is to run through the Montreathmont Forest, clearing tress for the path.
“This seems counter to the environmental aims as trees are great cheap carbon capture devices. This forest is also home to many rare animals, red squirrels and bats. The works will displace them.”
George Anderson, Woodland Trust Scotland, said the charity was “concerned”. It was looking into the proposals more closely, he added.
He said: “”We have not had a chance to look at these proposals in detail yet but on an initial look it would seem that a number of ancient woodland sites could be under threat.
“We will be putting together a response in time for the consultation deadline. Ancient woodland cannot be replaced by simply planting trees elsewhere. Its soil, plants, fungi and insects have developed over centuries.
“We have very little of it left, yet we constantly chip away at it through works like this.”
Government agency Forestry and Land Scotland own Montreathmont Forest. A spokesman said plans were at a very early stage.
“But should the eventual route pass through any of the woodlands we manage, we will work with developers to minimise woodland loss as far as is possible,” he added.
‘Collaborative’ approach will ‘minimise impact’
An SSEN Transmission spokeswoman said feedback would be “vital in shaping the next stage” of the Angus powerline.
She said: “We will consider the views expressed by all stakeholders, along with the technical, environmental and geographic constraints on the design, to inform a final route selection.
“We hope to continue this collaborative approach with our stakeholders to identify an acceptable route, alignment and design solution through this sensitive landscape and environment.”
People can still make their views known on the East Coast 132kV Upgrade Project webpage.