Imagine that: Banniskirk substation would engulf much of Wick!
A map has been produced indicating how the massive Banniskirk Hub would look if shifted around 15 miles to the east and positioned directly over Wick.
Objectors hope the hypothetical graphic will draw attention to the sheer size of the electricity substation being proposed in the centre of Caithness by SSEN Transmission.
Some of those commenting on the planning application have noted that, if approved, Banniskirk Hub will be bigger than nearby Halkirk and say it will be “completely unacceptable in a rural location”.
One wrote: “Covering an area of 0.89 km², with 0.25 km² fenced off, the project dwarfs nearby settlements such as Halkirk (0.59 km²) and Spittal (0.06 km²).”
Another calculated that the site would be the size of “about 140 football pitches”.
A different perspective is offered by the new imaginary map, with the substation boundary superimposed on Wick at the same scale.
With the theoretical hub centred somewhere in Pulteneytown, its outline stretches from the north side of Wick River to the far edge of the cemetery on the southern edge of town. In the other direction, it extends roughly from the neighbourhood around West Banks Avenue and Seaforth Avenue in the west across to Murchison Street and Wellington Avenue in the east.
Indeed, much of the town would be engulfed by such a development. Wickers can rest assured, however, that the graphic has no basis in reality and has been devised for comparative purposes only.
The made-up Banniskirk/Wick map is featured in the newly published January newsletter of the Save Caithness campaign, established last summer to help communities fight large-scale energy developments in the county.
The campaign is led by Tony Shaw, one of a number of residents in the Bowertower area opposing Swarclett Wind Farm.
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Save Caithness relocated the Banniskirk Hub footprint to Wick on a partial copy of a map used by Highlands Renewables Database, based on Google Maps.
Mr Shaw explained: “Using the valuable map resources at Highland Renewables Database, we were able to determine the size of the Banniskirk substation area. Hopefully, by our superimposing this on a map of Wick at exactly the same scale, it will help to bring home to people the sheer scale of this development and how it will dominate a huge expanse of rural Caithness.
“Much worse than the size, though, is that if approved it will open the door to yet more applications and also reinforce the case for the awful pylons.”
The Save Caithness newsletter states: “Banniskirk substation is enormous and will overwhelm the area around Spittal. In order to give you some idea of the size, we’ve superimposed the substation land area onto a map of Wick.
“The deadline for objections is January 26.”
SSEN Transmission submitted a planning application to Highland Council in November for a 400kV substation and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter station.
Banniskirk Hub will connect to the proposed 400kV overhead line between Spittal and Beauly, and to the existing Spittal 275kV substation. It will include a new outdoor 400kV air insulated switchgear substation and an HVDC converter station that will help transport offshore renewable energy to “demand centres” elsewhere in the UK.
Documents submitted as part of the application show a site boundary amounting to 89.4 hectares. In a project overview, SSEN Transmission stated that most of the site comprises rough grassland used for cattle or sheep grazing, with a small area of coniferous woodland along the western edge, bordering the A9.