With a new Government now taking its place on the green benches, the work against the pylon proposals continues.
I am proud of the work that I achieved whilst serving in Government such as protecting residents’ right to an inquiry. I am keen to keep up that work.
Over the coming months I’ll firstly be continuing to engage with SSEN, bringing the thoughts and feelings of residents to them. I will continue to meet with them, urging them to take the action that our communities want to see.
Since the proposals first came to my attention, I have received over 5,000 emails from constituents sharing their views. You have been clear to me, and SSEN must hear your voices.
As I now settle into the next five years as an opposition Member of Parliament, I look forward to firmly scrutinising the new government and questioning its decisions. Work in my office is already underway to submit questions to the relevant ministers to understand what their plans are for these forms of energy infrastructure. Particularly regarding options for undergrounding.
The Labour Government’s plans to massively increase various forms of energy generating technology, like onshore wind and solar panels, will be cause for concern for communities like those in West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, who will worry about the associated infrastructure that these projects bring.
I have also begun to look at options for the creation of a petition regarding these plans. It is crucial that in order for such a petition to be successful that it is crafted in a constructive and effective manner. I’ll be working with the various community groups that have been campaigning against the pylon plans that you will all know very well to ensure that such a petition is successful.
Of course, as I have been doing - along with my colleagues in the Scottish Parliament such as Douglas, Tess, and Alexander - I will keep up the pressure on the Scottish Government to use their powers to prevent these structures from scarring our landscape. Just as they have used planning powers to prevent new nuclear in Scotland, they could use those same powers constructively for our communities.
During the general election Conservatives pledged to undertake a rapid review into the advantages of alternative network technologies, compared to overhead pylons. This was alongside a commitment to considering a presumption in favour of undergrounding. Scottish Conservatives matched that commitment arguing that local consent must be placed at the heart of any network plans. This remains my commitment.
I am pleased that I will now be joined in this fight by another North East Conservative MP who campaigned against these proposals. Harriet Cross, the new Member of Parliament for Gordon and Buchan, made opposing these proposals a core part of her election campaign. I’ll be working closely with her and her office over the coming years.
For now, the fight continues.
