Seagreen has submitted the Balhungie Cable Route Variation Application to Angus Council following months of online consultation with local residents and key stakeholders. The application is to seek permission for a variation to a short section of the consented onshore cable route on land between the A930 and Balhungie Farm to that approved under the current Angus Council planning consent.
The consented cable route was, at the time of development, considered to be the best route in terms of environmental, technical and economic factors and was agreed in consultation with Angus Council, statutory consultees and affected parties. However, further dialogue with the landowner of Balhungie Farm has resulted in a request to amend the approved route through the farm to further minimise potential impacts on farm operations. The proposed alternative route will also provide a better angle to cross a high pressure gas pipeline which crosses through the consented route.
We would normally have held public consultation events in local venues, but the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated Government guidance has meant that we were unable to hold face to face engagement events. Along with information provided on the project website, near neighbour letters and emails out to local stakeholders we held two online consultation events providing local residents and interested parties the opportunity to engage with the team, receive an update on the project and ask questions or share any concerns.
The online events, each held over two hour periods on YouTube, included presentations from the project team and live question and answer sessions. This was the first time we have carried out consultation in this way online and we would welcome feedback in order to help with future virtual engagement events.
To view the Balhungie Information Boards, the recordings of the live sessions (held in July and September) and to see the Balhungie flyover which was prepared to talk through the proposed variation to the route you can click here.