Public inquiry into power line plan ‘a charade’ Ex-boss of heritage watchdog says ‘outcome decided’ THE PUBLIC inquiry into controversial plans to string electricity pylons across the Highlands has been condemned as a "charade" by a former ministerial adviser, prompting calls for it to be abandoned.
Roger Crofts, who was chief executive of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) for 10 years, has launched a fierce attack on the Scottish Executive, which he claims is prejudicing the inquiry.
"The decision is already made and the inquiry is a waste of time," he said, adding that the process was "unfair" and likely to end up mired in legal action.
The inquiry is investigating Scottish and Southern Energy's £320 million plan to run pylons 220 kilometres from Beauly, west of Inverness, to Denny, west of Falkirk. More than 17,000 objections have been made, and the inquiry is scheduled to last until at least the end of the year.
The industry argues that an upgrade of Scotland's power lines is essential to bring renewable electricity from wind, wave and tidal sources in the north to the central belt. But objectors say the pylons will destroy the landscape, are in the wrong place and may not be needed.
Crofts, who worked for the Scottish Office for 17 years before heading SNH, gave evidence to the inquiry last week.
"I'm amazed that formal government documents from the Scottish Executive and Department of Trade and Industry DTI have explicitly stated the need for the Beauly to Denny upgrade," he said.
"This entirely prejudices the minister's decision. If the minister refuses the application it will be going against stated government policy, and approval will surely be open to legal challenge."
Crofts claimed the Executive's lack of overall strategy on renewable energy had resulted "in confusion and waste of time and money" in deciding applications.
He also claimed the inquiry was weighted against community groups who opposed the pylons but lacked the resources to make an effective case.
"The government has already made up its mind, so the inquiry process is a charade," he added.
A leading objector to the plan called for the inquiry to be halted in the light of Crofts's concerns.
Dave Morris, director of the Ramblers' Association Scotland, said: "This inquiry is a shambles. Labour and Liberal Democrat ministers have been steamrollered into the project by UK ministers, led by the DTI and energy companies. It's all about meeting the energy needs of Birmingham and Basingstoke rather than the needs of the Scotland and its people."
Last week, the inquiry ruled out expert evidence that objectors said destroyed the economic case for the pylons. "This reinforces the suspicion that this inquiry is a foregone conclusion," said Helen McDade of the John Muir Trust.
The SNP said that, if elected to power on Thursday, they would let the inquiry run its course. But the party's energy and environment spokesman, Richard Lochhead, promised a decision on the pylons would not be taken in isolation.
"We'd want to look at it in the context of a Scottish energy strategy, including where and how power is produced."
A Scottish and Southern spokesman said: "It's not appropriate for us to comment on or add to the exchanges taking place within the inquiry."
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Posted by: John(1) on 11:08pm Sat 28 Apr 07
A minister is not going to go against stated government policy therefore the 17,000 objections to the proposal are worthless. I think this policy is being steamrolled through without due consideration. Renewable energy is a good thing, but I think the Executive's determination to claim full credit for Scotland's growth in renewable energy has resulted in hasty and harmful decisions being taken.
A minister is not going to go against stated government policy therefore the 17,000 objections to the proposal are worthless. I think this policy is being steamrolled through without due consideration. Renewable energy is a good thing, but I think the Executive's determination to claim full credit for Scotland's growth in renewable energy has resulted in hasty and harmful decisions being taken.
Posted by: Peter Cherbi, Edinburgh on 1:47am Sun 29 Apr 07
Public Inquiries in the UK are usually a sham anyway, so the claims of the ex SNH chief are no surprise.
How about when the SNP get in after the election, we get 'substantial' releases of papers on many of these fiddled "Public Enquiries" which we have had in Scotland over the years ..
It's time to see the truth ...
Public Inquiries in the UK are usually a sham anyway, so the claims of the ex SNH chief are no surprise.
How about when the SNP get in after the election, we get 'substantial' releases of papers on many of these fiddled "Public Enquiries" which we have had in Scotland over the years ..
It's time to see the truth ...
Posted by: donald anderson, glasgow on 6:56am Sun 29 Apr 07
Public enquiries end up in Wendyland.
Public enquiries end up in Wendyland.
Posted by: cadgers, Perth on 7:34am Sun 29 Apr 07
It's time to see the truth ...that would be good Peter, but do you think it'll ever happen?
It's time to see the truth ...that would be good Peter, but do you think it'll ever happen?
Posted by: Jeff Brannan, Ohio on 3:45pm Sun 29 Apr 07
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BS.
(Quote)
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replacing 143 structures. Conventional conductor would have required
replacement of 150 structures;
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http://digital50.com/news/items/CT/0000/00/00/019p2808/pacificorp-energizes-accc-transmission-line.html
http://www.compositetechcorp.com/
This cable is your answer ... far fewer structures and twice the conductivity.
Composite Tech Cable.
Do Not let them tell you that all of those structures are nessesary.That is
BS.
(Quote)
By using ACCC, PacifiCorp was able to save the material and labor cost of
replacing 143 structures. Conventional conductor would have required
replacement of 150 structures;
ACCC made it possible to re-conductor while replacing only 7 structures.
http://digital50.com/news/items/CT/0000/00/00/019p2808/pacificorp-energizes-accc-transmission-line.html
http://www.compositetechcorp.com/
This cable is your answer ... far fewer structures and twice the conductivity.
Composite Tech Cable.
Posted by: Peter Cherbi, Edinburgh on 5:28pm Sun 29 Apr 07
#cadgers, Perth
Well, the SNP look like they are going to take the Executive later this week ... so we should be expecting all these kinds of fiddles to end - and if they don't, we will have to let them know about it ...
It's time for a change - but it's also time for an end to fiddles, prejidiced public enquiries, and injustice. Mr Salmond - the task is at hand.
#cadgers, Perth
Well, the SNP look like they are going to take the Executive later this week ... so we should be expecting all these kinds of fiddles to end - and if they don't, we will have to let them know about it ...
It's time for a change - but it's also time for an end to fiddles, prejidiced public enquiries, and injustice. Mr Salmond - the task is at hand.
Posted by: bamba, leith on 8:38pm Sun 29 Apr 07
As an auld sod in his sixties, this suggestion of a pre-directed finding for a public enquiry over the proposed Highland pylon line comes as no great surprise. What worries me is how good Dr. Crofts was at with dealing with the Scottish Office and then the Scottish Executive in the ten years at his job, if he is only now stating the blindingly obvious with regard to such public enquiries.
As an auld sod in his sixties, this suggestion of a pre-directed finding for a public enquiry over the proposed Highland pylon line comes as no great surprise. What worries me is how good Dr. Crofts was at with dealing with the Scottish Office and then the Scottish Executive in the ten years at his job, if he is only now stating the blindingly obvious with regard to such public enquiries.
Posted by: Iain Brodie of Falsyde, Highland Sep on 10:10pm Mon 30 Apr 07
That's not all. Southern and Scottish electric are seekingorders for compulsary purchase before the hearing ahs barely begun. Somwhat presumptious and as Mr. Crofts has already said it seems the Executive has made a decision it is not entitled to do. More reason for changes at the top on 3rd May.
That's not all. Southern and Scottish electric are seekingorders for compulsary purchase before the hearing ahs barely begun. Somwhat presumptious and as Mr. Crofts has already said it seems the Executive has made a decision it is not entitled to do. More reason for changes at the top on 3rd May.
Posted by: Lou, Auchterarder on 1:05pm Tue 1 May 07
Unfortunately for anyone concerned about 'democracy', Messers Crofts and Morris are quite right: the pylon scheme will go ahead, with perhaps some slight cosmetic changes, regardless of the strength, number or validity of objections to it. In this, at least, 'democracy' doesn't exist in Scotland (or England or Wales).
If nothing else, the Great Wind Rush in Scotland has proven that the citizenry are almost entirely ignored by their own elected officials. I grant that local councils can and do (sometimes) take heed of the generally overwhelming opposition to proposed industrial wind developments, though even they can be prone to arrogantly dismissing their own constituents' concerns (cf the Western Isles Council's amazing decision to allow hundreds of turbines on EU-protected conservation areas, despite nearly unanimous opposition from the locals). But the Executive nearly invariably approves projects on appeal.
In the main--a few honourable local council exceptions aside--government at every level has simply ignored one of the most vociferous, organized and widespread protest campaigns in Scottish history, siding in most cases with developers and landowners whose only goal is to obtain as much public subsidy money from the windfarm scam as possible.
This makes for an interesting question: if Government no longer takes account of even the most widespread public sentiment then who, precisely, are they serving? Not us, apparently. Certainly Government shows not the slightest respect for its own citizens, nor do they even pretend to listen to us. There must be some compelling motivation which drives Government to simply trample over us in the most authoritarian manner.
Given the boatloads of money sloshing about, only a complete innocent would think that the wind rush, and pylons, were motivated by a desire to 'stop climate change'. No: at all levels we see what would once have been called--what's the word?; can't quite remember--anyway, it is now called 'community development funding', to 'encourage' our government bodies to 'vote the right way'. And so they do.
Friends, I guarantee that the pylon scheme will go through: there are too many vested interests, too much money at stake, and too much contempt for the citizens for it to end in any other way.
I just wonder: whom do our elected officials really represent? Certainly not the 'people'; they've proven that by their utter indifference toward our repeated, increasingly desperate protests over the destruction of the countryside.
Unfortunately for anyone concerned about 'democracy', Messers Crofts and Morris are quite right: the pylon scheme will go ahead, with perhaps some slight cosmetic changes, regardless of the strength, number or validity of objections to it. In this, at least, 'democracy' doesn't exist in Scotland (or England or Wales).
If nothing else, the Great Wind Rush in Scotland has proven that the citizenry are almost entirely ignored by their own elected officials. I grant that local councils can and do (sometimes) take heed of the generally overwhelming opposition to proposed industrial wind developments, though even they can be prone to arrogantly dismissing their own constituents' concerns (cf the Western Isles Council's amazing decision to allow hundreds of turbines on EU-protected conservation areas, despite nearly unanimous opposition from the locals). But the Executive nearly invariably approves projects on appeal.
In the main--a few honourable local council exceptions aside--government at every level has simply ignored one of the most vociferous, organized and widespread protest campaigns in Scottish history, siding in most cases with developers and landowners whose only goal is to obtain as much public subsidy money from the windfarm scam as possible.
This makes for an interesting question: if Government no longer takes account of even the most widespread public sentiment then who, precisely, are they serving? Not us, apparently. Certainly Government shows not the slightest respect for its own citizens, nor do they even pretend to listen to us. There must be some compelling motivation which drives Government to simply trample over us in the most authoritarian manner.
Given the boatloads of money sloshing about, only a complete innocent would think that the wind rush, and pylons, were motivated by a desire to 'stop climate change'. No: at all levels we see what would once have been called--what's the word?; can't quite remember--anyway, it is now called 'community development funding', to 'encourage' our government bodies to 'vote the right way'. And so they do.
Friends, I guarantee that the pylon scheme will go through: there are too many vested interests, too much money at stake, and too much contempt for the citizens for it to end in any other way.
I just wonder: whom do our elected officials really represent? Certainly not the 'people'; they've proven that by their utter indifference toward our repeated, increasingly desperate protests over the destruction of the countryside.
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