Hello everyone,

I hope you are all keeping very well.

So sorry for delay in updating and thank you all so much for your signature to the petition. I have been in contact with Andrew Bowie MP, Alexander Burnett MSP, and local councillors plus the community council CDDCC.

Andrew Bowie our MP has kindly offered to send the petition now with 532 objections to SSEN, this way it will be formally recorded and hopefully form part of their consultation process responses, the next event Pre Consultation is Wed 20th March 24 at Drumoak bowling club from 1400 to 1900hrs. If you can attend it would be good, I appreciate this is short notice but the venue was only announced yesterday. This is with CDDCC in attendance to help referee I believe.

My contacts with OFGEM CEO for freedom of information on costs for the project relating to pylons / overhead lines v burying fell on stony ground. Visit Scotland CEO said they were not on the mandatory planning consultation pocess and would advise a way forward when they find one. Yes please. NatureScotland who are on the planning mandatory consultation said things depend on the EIA Environmental impact assessment being led and paid for by SSEN nominated providers.

SSEN came back and said they wil not pitch a pylon within at least 100m of a property possibly circa 175m or oversail the lines over properties, if this can be believed.

Following the EIA will determine exact pylon locations is my understanding. SSEN are very reluctant to bury giving technical and cost reasons which are not very well substantiated by them and  for health administration re EMF Electromagnetic Field dispertion relying on Government guidleines that are over 20years old which are being challenged.

SSEN have published a time line for their consultations which you can pick up on line under SSEN or CDDCC community council website.

I will shortly be contacting our local businesses to see what support and way forward they are proposing. Will keep you all posted.

Kind regards and thanks

Maurice