LUC is currently working for both of Scotland’s electricity transmission operators to deliver landscape enhancements to some of our most valued landscapes. The projects are part of a £500m initiative administered by Ofgem to positively enhance and mitigate the visual impact of transmission infrastructure, including overhead lines and substations, which currently exist within the UK’s most highly valued landscapes.

We are working, both together and individually, with Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) who maintain and operate a number of overhead transmission lines through some of Scotland’s most protected and highly-valued landscapes, including Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, the Cairngorms National Park and several National Scenic Areas including the iconic Eildon Hills.

Both companies have set up parallel projects with SPEN naming theirs Changing the VIEW (Visual Impact of Existing Wirescape) and SSEN naming theirs VISTA (Visual Impact of Scottish Transmission Assets). LUC has played and is continuing to play a vital role in both projects by identifying locations where the impact of pylons is greatest, and developing a range of deliverable mitigation solutions to reduce these impacts.

The aims of both VISTA and VIEW are to develop projects that achieve the maximum level of visual/landscape enhancement or mitigation of impacts; and use innovative thinking to deliver projects that also have wider benefits (environmental, social, economic) beyond visual impact mitigation. To achieve the greatest benefit a partnership approach has been utilised with a range of key stakeholders and end users, such as the National Park Authorities and Scottish Natural Heritage as well as local experts, forming partnership groups. LUC has instigated and presented a series of workshops and meetings in order to work collaboratively with these key stakeholders as the projects progress.

Working with both companies, we have developed a range of mitigation proposals that include the introduction of screen planting around substations, the re-routeing or undergrounding of overhead lines, and the establishment of native woodland planting along overhead line corridors. Also explored are opportunities to include additional landscape enhancements such as alterations to recreational paths or green networks. As the aim is to maximise the benefits from the initiatives, the projects are looking where possible to complement any planned or ongoing proposals which deliver opportunities for additional environmental, recreational, educational or social enhancement for residents and visitors

Find further information about VISTA project and the VIEW project in the Autumn/Winter 2016 edition of the Scottish Natural Heritage magazine.