Pylon the Agony

Sir,
Congratulations on being almost certainly the first publication south of Gretna Green to spot what Scottish and southern Energy is trying to do in the Cairngorms National Park (Pylon Pressure, HP Sauce, 1191). What perhaps no-one has noticed is that while SSE says it cannot afford to put its cable underground, there is no such problem when it comes to the 2012 Olympic Games. London has already managed to bury 12kms of cable and knock down 52 pylons. It was not too expensive there, why is it too expensive in a National Park?
Yours,
Jo Cumming
Chair, Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons.

31 August 2007

Highland revolt over plans to build power lines over famous TV glen

Published on HippyShopper website, advertised by Google Alerts

Fans of a BBC drama series have been rallying forces to protest about proposed plans to build power lines across a stretch of Scottish countryside. The countryside in question just happens to be the same as featured in hit TV show Monarch of the Glen, and the protesters are not just locals but people from as far off as Australia and America. The forum on the programmes fan site is buzzing with chat over Scottish & Southern Energy's plans to double the size of the pylons on the land near Loch Laggan, which is the home of the fictional TV show which ended several years ago.

28 August 2007

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Glenbogle's Archie joins the protest over pylons

Alastair Robertson

Monarch of the Glen actor Alastair Mackenzie has thrown his weight behind a campaign to stop giant pylons being built in a national park.

Mackenzie, who played the young laird Archie Macdonald in the hit BBC TV series, is outraged at plans to run the pylons through the Cairngorms National Park near Ardverikie, Perthshire, where Monarch was made.

Mackenzie, right, who was brought up at Trinafour, near Pitlochry, said he was baffled by the refusal of the power company Scottish and Southern Energy to compromise by burying sections of the 137-mile line underground.

He added: 'It is pretty outrageous that a Scottish company should even think of trying to build a line of giant pylons through the National Park.

'What is the point of a national park if you stick industrial-size pylons in it? When you consider the US National Parks were founded by John Muir, a Scot, it is pretty shameful that we cannot look after our own wild places.'

Monarch fans, known as 'Boglies', are supporting the campaign by buying tea towels decorated with a stag made from pylons.

Ardverikie Estate factor Rhoderick Noble said: 'I think it is marvellous that Boglies from all corners of the Earth are speaking up.'

26 August 2007

Business Diary - By Simon Goodley

Another day, another Beauly-Denny power line public inquiry about Scottish and Southern Energy's plans to erect 600 new pylons across the Cairngorms. The latest in a series of hearings kicks off on Tuesday, and I learn that SSE chairman Sir Robert Smith has narrowly escaped becoming the target of the protesters.

Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons (geddit?) had planned to raise funds by selling a commemorative tea towel featuring Sir Robert's face superimposed on a stag's head and encircled by a rifle sight. But, sadly, they've chickened out.

Campaign chairman Jo Cumming says: "We are still doing the tea towel but dropped Sir Robert. No one knew who he was." Harsh.

25 August 2007

Giving a CRAP for Cairngorms

The Diary By Alba

AMPAIGNERS against the Beauly-Denny pylons want you to buy a CRAP tea-towel. CRAP, if you are wondering, stands for Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons.

There are CRAP badges and CRAP tea-towels to allow the campaign to fight to put the powerlines underground.

Jo Cumming, chairman of CRAP, says: "We are actually paying these companies to destroy the Cairngorms National Park. This line must be put underground. We have to make our case at the public inquiry and we must raise funds to pay experts - now."

23 August 2007

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Boglies of the world unite!

BOGLIES from around the world have banded together to campaign against mega-pylon plans that they fear could destroy the magic of Glenbogle.

Fans of 'Monarch of the Glen' have hit out at controversial plans by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) to build pylons of up to 65 metres high on the door step of Loch Laggan, home to the long running BBC comedy-drama.

22 August 2007

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PYLON PRESSURE

Scottish and Southern Energy Plc (SSE) is preparing to drive a 137-mile long line of pylons through Scotland's recently established Coarngroms National Park. If given the go-ahead, the Beauly to Denny power line would take wind farm energy from the Highlands to the south.

First, however, SSE must win the public inquiry which reopens on 28 August, where the power company is battling against local councils and the Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons. SSE says that putting the cable underground is far too expensive.The planned 600 huge pylons would be 65m tall.

SSE (profit: £1bn.) bleats that it would have to ask energy regulator Ofgem for an electricty price increase to cover the cost of undergrounding (sic) the cable. However, the chairman Sir Robert Smith and chief executive Ian Marchant have not been so shy about asking Ofgem for a price increase to cover their £4m public inquiry costs, described in the application as "an income adjusting event".

17 August 2007

BOSSES RAPPED FOR PASSING ON £7M COSTS

Highland planning chiefs yesterday issued damning criticism of electricity transmission operator Shetl for intending to pass on the estimated £7million cost of the Beauly-Denny public inquiry to customers.

Planning director John Rennilson has stated in a letter to industry regulator Ofgem: "Shetl have thrown money at its case and it now appears that they expect consumers to bail them out.

16 August 2007

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Load of pylons (Blog spot)

You just know that the people behind the Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons (CRAP) just have to have a sense of humour, but there's nothing funny about what they're fighting - the obliteration of vast tracts of beautiful Scotland by mega pylons.

Power company lawyers arguing in favour of giant pylons through Cairngorms National Park are having their fees paid by us, the electricity consumer. They're picking up an estimated £10,000 a day for appearing at the Beauly-Denny inquiry. That cash comes out of our bills.

C.R.A.P. is fighting to keep pylons out of the park. Pylons that are seven times bigger than you see on the A9. Campaigners argue that they should bury the pylons - London can do it. In less than two years, London has £70m ripping down 52 giant pylons obstructing work on the 2012 Olympic Games site and burying the cable in a tunnel. The Olympics will last just two weeks. Pylons in the Cairngorms will last our lifetime.

The Cairngorms don't deserve pylons the size of office buildings. They wouldn't approve windfarms in this environment - why pylons? I have spent a fair bit of time in this area, skiing, hill-walking, climbing and cross-country skiing. I say no thanks.

12 August 2007

adelaidegreenporridgecafe.blogspot.com

Cost of pylons too high

You just know the people behind the Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons have a sense of humour, but there's nothing funny about what they're fighting - the obliteration of vast tracts of beautiful Scotland by mega-pylons.

Power company lawyers arguing for giant pylons through the Cairngorms National Park are having their fees paid by us, the consumer, and picking up an estimated £10,000 a day for appearing at the Beauly-Denny inquiry.

8 August 2007

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Protest's rubbish

The Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons - spelling C.R.A.P - is to sell badges to protest against plans for giant pylons.

2 August 2007

Badge sales will help fund anti-pylon campaign

PYLON protesters in Badenoch are to take on a £1 billion power company armed with little more than campaign badges and holiday souvenir tea towels to bolster their battle.

Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons (C.R.A.P.) is planning to sell their designer badges and printed cartoon tea towels to help fund a planning expert to appear on their behalf at the Beauly to Denny power line inquiry when it moves to Newtonmore later this month.

1 August 2007

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Ardverikie the real star of Monarch of the Glen (Moving on;Preview;Property)

Tim Dawson, The Sunday Times

Richard Briers, Susan Hampshire and Tom Baker may have moved on, but it is good to see that the real star of Monarch of the Glen can still have an impact. Ardverikie, the house that appeared in the BBC television series as Glenbogle, is taking a fresh turn in the spotlight as part of the campaign to resist the Beauly to Denny pylon chain. The owners of the house have produced posters showing how the proposed 220-ft high pylons will look beside the 65-ft high mansion in time for the public inquiry, which opens next month in Newtonmore.

The backers of the campaign against the overhead electrical link, incidentally, style themselves Cairngorms Revolt Against Pylons. You can work out the acronym that appears on their badges.

29 July 2007