Government admits no assessment on farmland loss to pylons 

The Scottish Government is under fire after admitting it has not carried out an assessment of the loss of agricultural land to pylons.

This comes despite growing concerns from farmers about the impact of a proposed 70-mile power line development. The project, planned by SSEN (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks), would see 190ft pylons erected between Kintore and Tealing, potentially disrupting prime agricultural land in rural areas, including Angus.

In the Scottish Parliament, North East MSP Tess White voiced her alarm over the project’s potential impact on local farming communities.

Ms White, a member of the Scottish Conservatives, raised concerns after meeting with farmers who are deeply worried about the loss of farmland.

During Portfolio Questions in the Scottish Parliament, Ms White called on Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie to provide more protection for the farming sector, which she believes would be among the hardest hit by SSEN’s power line proposals.

Ms White’s remarks come after a protest by farmers last April against the construction of the ‘monstrous’ pylons, which would stretch across Aberdeenshire and Angus.

“Farmers, along with other stakeholders, have raised serious concerns about the loss of prime agricultural land because of the overhead lines,” said Ms White during the parliamentary session. “There are also worrying implications for the use of farming machinery, including autonomous tractors.”

In her question, she also asked the Scottish Government to consider the impact on food security, stressing that the potential loss of land could harm agricultural productivity in the region.

She asked: “Has the Scottish Government considered the loss of agricultural productivity as a result of SSEN’s plans, and will it commit to protecting our food security and our farmers in the north east?”

Mr Fairlie acknowledged that the Scottish Government had not conducted an assessment at either national or regional level regarding the loss of agricultural land due to the power line development.

While he noted that multiple data sets on land use are available, he stated that these could not alone support an assessment of potential land loss in relation to the pylons.

“I’m appalled that the Scottish Government has made no assessment of the loss of agricultural land to pylons,” Ms White said following the exchange. “This underlines that farmers are being ignored and are seen as an afterthought by both the SNP government and SSEN throughout this planning process.”

She further stressed the significant disruption that these infrastructure projects could cause to day-to-day farming operations, especially during a time when food security is a critical issue.

“During these uncertain times, food security and the protection of our farmland has never been more important,” Ms White said. “It’s clear SNP ministers have no understanding of the magnitude of this issue, which undermines their policy that food security is Scotland’s national security.”

Farmers and communities have voiced growing frustration with the lack of consultation and protection for the agricultural sector in the planning of large-scale energy projects.