In planning applications for the week beginning 28th September, FM East Lodge Ltd are seeking planning permission in principle for 60 houses on the site referred to as OP5, as shown below.
ScreenshotScreenshot
The homes planned are a mixture of family homes and bungalows, with the associated infrastructure and landscaping. Further details can be found below.
The remaining two applications this week are for tree pruning and window replacement. Use the links below to see full details and for a facility to comment.
Status: AWAITING DECISIONPruning of 3 TreesSt Leonards Court Bath Street Stonehaven AB39 2FQRef. No: TRE/2026/0084 · Received: Thu 01 Oct 2026 · Validated: Thu 01 Oct 2026
Status: AWAITING DECISIONInstallation of Replacement Windows33 Victoria Street Stonehaven Aberdeenshire AB39 2LHRef. No: APP/2026/1521 · Received: Mon 07 Sep 2026 · Validated: Thu 01 Oct 2026
On Monday 5 October, the Save Stonehaven Library Coalition Petition, signed by 2,357 supporters, will be delivered by hand to Aberdeenshire Council at Woodhill House. Delivery arrangements have been made in line with guidance provided by the Council’s Principal Solicitor.
This marks a significant moment for Stonehaven. Since the Council’s so‑called “Engagement Exercise” held in January, residents have raised concerns about the proposed relocation, the lack of clarity surrounding the process, and the absence of any formal due process or statutory consultation. Tomorrow’s submission ensures that these concerns will now be formally placed before Aberdeenshire Council through its petition procedures.
The Save Stonehaven Library Coalition extends its sincerest thanks to everyone across Stonehaven and the surrounding communities who signed, shared, supported, and stood together throughout this process. Your commitment, your voices, and your unity have shaped this petition from the very beginning.
Thank you!
A clear message from the community
2,237 verified Aberdeenshire signatures
120 additional supporters from outside the area
With Stonehaven’s population sitting around 11,000, around 20% of the town signed the petition — an exceptional level of engagement for any local civic matter. Support came from every part of Stonehaven and from surrounding communities, with contributions from local groups, organisations, volunteers, and residents of all ages. Together, they demonstrated clearly that the library is a valued public service at the heart of community life, and that people do not want it to be relocated.
Signatories included young families, working‑age residents, older people, long‑standing library users, and community groups who rely on the library’s central, accessible location. Many expressed concerns about transparency, accessibility, and the importance of retaining a walkable, town‑centre library.
This depth and breadth of engagement shows a clear and consistent message: Stonehaven expects transparency, statutory compliance, and meaningful engagement before any decision is made about the future of its library.
What the Council’s own documents say about the library
A Freedom of Information request submitted earlier this year resulted in the release of Aberdeenshire Council’s official condition survey for Stonehaven Library, completed in May 2026.
The Council’s assessment rated the building as:
B – Satisfactory
No critical safety issues
Routine lifecycle maintenance required over five years
Total investment: £288,293
The survey states that the building “continues to fulfil its design purpose”, confirming that the library is considered fit for purpose by the Council itself.
All maintenance issues logged in 2026 were minor and have been completed.
Given its condition and central location, the library has the potential to be developed into a modernised, community‑centred facility, if Aberdeenshire Council chooses to engage openly and collaboratively with the community.
The gap between the building’s condition and the process so far
Despite the Council’s own assessment confirming that the library is fit for purpose, no statutory, financial, planning, or staffing documentation has been published to explain or justify a relocation. These are standard requirements normally completed before any major change to a public service is progressed, yet none of them have been made available.
The absence of due process has been one of the community’s major concerns throughout the year. Residents have repeatedly sought clarity on how the proposal has been developed, what assessments have been carried out, and why no formal consultation or evidence base has been published.
Key requirements not yet completed
Before any major public service relocation is progressed, councils are normally required to complete and publish a range of statutory, financial, planning, and staffing assessments. Aberdeenshire Council has not published any of these, leaving a significant gap in the due‑process obligations that would ordinarily underpin a proposal of this scale.
1. Statutory and policy requirements
Statutory public consultation
Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)
Accessibility assessment
Local Development Plan (LDP) compliance evidence
Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 requirements
2. Financial and business case requirements
Total project cost
Comparative cost of staying in Evan Street
Cost of relocation and fit‑out of Viewmount
Cost–benefit analysis of the relocation
Long‑term revenue projections
Financial modelling
Financial risks or long‑term sustainability
3. Project and planning requirements
Options appraisal
Business case
Project plan or programme plan
Transition and implementation plan
Full building surveys (structural, suitability, accessibility, compliance, feasibility)
Risk management and risk strategy
4. Staffing and service requirements
Staffing consultation (We have been informed that no engagement has taken place with library staff regarding the proposed relocation.)
Trade union engagement
Change‑management planning
Service impact assessment
Operational feasibility at any proposed alternative site
What happens next?
Once delivered tomorrow morning, the petition will enter Aberdeenshire Council’s formal petition process. The Council will assess its competency and relevancy, and this assessment will determine which Committee is responsible for considering it.
Under Council procedures, the Committee must:
receive the petition
consider the issues raised
determine what further information is required
agree any actions, investigations, or reports
set out how and when the matter will return for decision
The Council will confirm:
the Committee allocated to the petition
the date of the meeting
the process for public participation
the timeline for any follow‑up reports
Either the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee or the Communities Committee will be assigned the petition, depending on the nature of the “ask”.
The Bellman will continue to follow and report on the process as it moves through these formal stages.
Closing statement
Tomorrow’s delivery marks a clear and formal step in Stonehaven’s civic process. The community has engaged constructively and consistently throughout the year, and the Coalition extends its thanks to everyone who contributed, signed, shared, and supported the petition. The matter now passes to Aberdeenshire Council, where it will be considered through established procedures, with the expectation of transparency, statutory compliance, and a clear public record of decision‑making.
Stonehaven stands completely united against the relocation of the library to Viewmount — because everyone already knows where the library is.
By Anna Carlton, Lifeboat Press Officer Stonehaven RNLI
Scotland’s second ever Women in SAR (search and rescue) was hosted by Eyemouth and Dunbar RNLI stations along with St Abbs independent lifeboat station. And two of Stonehaven’s volunteer crew were lucky enough to be selected to attend.
The event runs across a weekend, giving female volunteers the opportunity to mix with fellow volunteers from across Scotland to share knowledge and experiences, work on different types of boats and gain insight from various speakers on a variety of subject areas.
Suzanne Lumsden, shore crew volunteer, tractor driver and launch authority was very appreciative of a place on the weekend.
She said: ‘It was a great mix of practical sessions and talks. I learned a lot from my fellow women in SAR attending the weekend. Not only was it inspirational and educational, but it was a lot of fun too. As a female volunteer with Stonehaven RNLI I have always felt included and supported by the rest of the crew.
‘This is something I strive to do myself for my fellow women in SAR at the station. It’s important that that mentality remains embedded in the station for those who will join in the future. The Scottish women in SAR event is a fantastic opportunity to build a strong female community across the RNLI.’
Abbie Wright, boat crew volunteer was also in attendance at the weekend event and as a relatively new volunteer found the timing of the event fitted well into her personal RNLI journey.
She said: ‘It was a fantastic experience to meet and learn alongside other women in SAR. The weekend covered a lot of content with a brilliant mix of practical exercises, theory, and learning about developments within both the RNLI and wider SAR organisations.
‘I’m looking forward to taking the knowledge I gained back to the station and continuing to develop as a relatively new crew member.’
The success of this year’s event has been down to the huge organisational efforts of the RNLI teams at Eyemouth and Dunbar, championed by Dunbar Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Wilson, and the independent lifeboat station team at St Abbs.
The RNLI is working hard to create a more diverse organisation and a crucial part of that is encouraging women into the operational roles of search and rescue. The event was the second of its kind in Scotland with the inaugural event being held in Inverness last year. Launched by the International Maritime Rescue Federation, Women in SAR is a global movement open to all lifeboat stations, including the RNLI and independent operators.
Aberdeenshire Council are obliged to provide library services under the provision of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. This Act mandates that local authorities have a statutory duty to secure the provision of ‘adequate library facilities for all persons resident in their area’. Similar, but separate, legislation also operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where the appropriate term for the level of service required is ‘comprehensive and efficient.’Unfortunately, neither term is explicitly defined in the legislation. However, the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), an independent advisory body to the Scottish Government on library and information matters, has provided guidance on the sort of library service local authorities should provide in terms of the following four themes:
The library has high quality physical and digital spaces that respond to evolving needs
The library caters for people with diverse needs in sufficiency, range and suitability of resources, services and programming
The library encourages active citizenship through access to trusted, accurate information that empowers people to make informed choices
The library has an embedded culture as a principal contributor to developing reading, literacy and numeracy through local and national initiatives.
In other words, libraries need to be housed in a building which is suitable for the size of the community it serves, should be accessible to anyone who wishes to use it with opening times which reflect the varying needs of those users , should be well-stocked and provide access to information that allows them to engage positively in community life.
This is what we have in Stonehaven in the library’s current location. It could be argued that even as it stands the library’s opening hours of 29 over a four-day period should be extended – the library in Wanstead Village in London serving a similar catchment area has opening hours of 49 over a six-day period, for example – but that is an argument for another day.
What is beyond dispute, though, it that a move to Viewmount that would encompass a smaller, less well-stocked library, with possibly reduced opening hours and which a significant number of our current users will find almost impossible to access certainly falls far short of any definition of ‘adequate’ for a library in the fifth largest town in Aberdeenshire.
We must not allow this to happen.
Images of Wanstead Village library courtesy Kirby Porter
AS you walk around the town centre take a look at the now fading hanging basket displays lining Barclay, David and Allardice Street – they will be taken down shortly and many will not be hung again next year.
The loss of these floral displays is down to a review of Aberdeenshire Council’s Festive Lights Policy – which Councillors fear has turned into a mire of ‘unintended consequences’ and unwanted complications.
Emanating from a request for additional Christmas lights in Newtonhill, the policy review brings proposals including rationed electricity and five-yearly bills for surplus consumption. Only strengthened steel light columns may be used – but when lampposts need replaced, the Council’s default product is a cheaper and weaker aluminium lamppost. So if a community wants to hang displays, then they will have to pay the difference for the stronger poles.
And embedded in the policy is a manual dictating amongst other things the requirements and restrictions for those wishing to hang baskets, banners or bunting from a Council column. There is much talk of windage and safe heights.
Single hanging baskets are not permitted as they mean an uneven load. Brackets must be either of stainless steel or of galvanised metal.
Lampposts are not just for lights
At their meeting on Tuesday, members of the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed new policy.
Cllr George Carr said he was against charging volunteer groups for electricity. Cllr Wendy Agnew was concerned at the cost of the insurances required.
Councillor Mel Sullivan said: ”It’s all become a wee bit complicated, hasn’t it? It started off from a very easy question of can we just have control over putting a light up in between other lights – and now we have to allocate electricity over five years based on head of population.
”Basically this thing is going in a direction that I did not anticipate and I’m not massively supportive of.”
And Cllr Alan Turner said he was unhappy with ‘unintended consequences’ of the policy review. He said lampposts are not used only to brighten the darkest nights with festive colour – they are also used during the summer months for hanging baskets.
He said: ”What is wrong in my mind is to a great extent we are very focused on the incremental cost of electricity. Christmas lights are one thing, but that’s the time of the year – Christmas. Baskets also use the same type of structural columns and are equally important in a lot of cases to communities as well.
”So while we are answering this and working very much in terms of Christmas lights, it’s the same community, it’s the same lampposts and its the same thing – it’s making the town attractive, making areas attractive for residents and for people coming in.
”So yes it’s Christmas lights but the policy and what you bring in the manual catches all that as well, so we need to have the conversation.”
The Bellman can reveal Stonehaven’s Horizon Group are already dealing with the consequences of the policy review.
While they have permission to use lampposts, the restrictions on single brackets means their display on Barclay Street is all but lost. And on David Street and Allardice Street it will be diminished. The group also faces the cost of removing and replacing brackets that don’t fit the bill. Luckily the Market Square displays will be unaffected as they are hung on dedicated basket columns.
The Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee were asked to provide comment to the Infrastructure Services Committee on the proposed change in approach for approval and management of Festive Lighting Installations in our towns and villages. It is that committee which will vote to adopt the proposed policy – or not.
Feature image: there is space for two baskets to hang either side of this lamppost. Many poles are too close to buildings for this to be possible, so single brackets at right angles have often been used – but will no longer be permitted.
The discussion on this item in the video below starts at about 14 mins.
THE following planning applications were validated during the week beginning Monday 21st September at Aberdeenshire Council’s Viewmount office.
The first link relates to a previously approved application on land adjacent to East Lodge, Ury Estate. The developer intends to amend the house types, following consultation with the Stonehaven and District Community Council, and market place research. The new house types include a mixture of family homes and bungalows.
Status: AWAITING DECISIONThis item is open for commentsErection of 28 Dwellinghouses and Ancillary InfrastructureLand Adjacent To East Lodge Ury Estate Ury StonehavenRef. No: APP/2026/1552 · Received: Fri 11 Sep 2026 · Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2026
The remaining applications relates to a to various domestic alterations and a tree pruning request.
Use the links below to see full details and for a facility to comment.
Status: AWAITING DECISIONThis item is open for commentsInternal and External Alterations to DwellinghouseBriarwood 46 Arduthie Road Stonehaven AB39 2DPRef. No: APP/2026/1613 · Received: Thu 24 Sep 2026 · Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2026
A FORMER Mackie Academy pupil whose career in sports reporting took him into the heart of professional golf is visiting Stonehaven this weekend for a book signing session for his recently published first novel.
Set against the backdrop of the PGA Championship at Wentworth, Four Deadly Swings exposes the soft underbelly of professional golf, uncovering a web of lies, deceit and secrets which trigger fatal conclusions.
Gordon Simpson’s writing career started at the Mearns Leader and took him to the European Tour (now DP World Tour) based at Wentworth Golf Club, Surrey. He became communications director for the Tour and media centre manager for the Ryder Cup – meeting all the great players of our day- including Lee Westwood, pictured above with the author.
Gordon will be at But n’ Ben books on Saturday October 3 from 2-4pm when he is keen to chat to customers about his book and sign copies.
The Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool are currently looking for a new chairperson.
The main duties of the role being:
Lead the board, ensure good governance, manage Trustee meetings
Act as the main liaison with Aberdeenshire Council
Play an ambassadorial role, hosting events, public speaking, media appearances and other such duties as required
If you are interested in being the next Chair of the Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool, in the first instance, contact Edel Harris, one of the Trustees, to arrange a time for an informal chat.
Edel is available on edelharris@outlook.com.
The National Lottery Community Fund is looking for projects that will help people connect more with each other, and to support projects that are open, inclusive and led by their community.
In your application, you’ll need to show how you’ll:
bring people together – through an activity or a space, online or in person
reach and support people affected by poverty, disadvantage or discrimination
be led by your community. This means that people from your community lead on the project idea, planning and decisions
build on the strengths, skills and experience already in your community
understand services and activities available, and show how your project fills a gap
Your project must meet at least 2 of these outcomes:
build positive relationships
support people’s health or wellbeing
help people improve their access and connection to nature
make a positive difference to the environment
You can apply for £20,001 to £250,000 for up to 5 years.
The Home Energy Scotland National Newsletter is a great way for householders across Scotland to stay informed about:
Available grants and funding schemes
Energy-saving tips and advice
Renewable heating and electricity technologies
Changes to energy efficiency legislation and policy
Case studies and success stories from across Scotland
Upcoming events, webinars, and support opportunities
By signing up, subscribers receive regular updates directly from Home Energy Scotland, helping them make informed decisions about improving the comfort, energy efficiency, and sustainability of their homes.
AVA is delighted to announce that the Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund for Adults has returned for Round 6.
The overarching aim of the Fund is to support community-based initiatives that are ideally designed and delivered within Aberdeenshire for the benefit of Aberdeenshire residents.
Specifically, the Scottish Government has prescribed the Fund aims to be:
Tackle mental health inequalities through supporting a range of ‘at risk’ groups.
Address priority issues of social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention and poverty and inequality with a particular emphasis on responding to the cost-of-living crisis and support to those facing socio-economic disadvantage.
Support small ‘grass roots’ community groups and organisations to deliver such activities.
Provide opportunities for people to connect with each other, build trusted relationships and revitalise communities.
Applications close on Friday 16th October 2026 at 5pm.
Demand for support to help children and families navigate online harm is growing rapidly. Join organisations delivering online harm programmes across Scotland as they share what they are learning from frontline delivery.
The Tackling Online Harm: what works for children and families? webinar is for people working in youth and community organisations supporting children and families with digital wellbeing. It will explore the support children, young people and families need, approaches that are proving most effective, and the challenges organisations face, including engaging parents and keeping pace with emerging digital trends.
The session will include a panel discussion and audience Q&A, providing a chance to put your questions directly to the speakers.
Date: 6th October. Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Speakers: Annabel Turner, CyberSafe Scotland; Louise Hall, Enable; Andrew Mills, Aberdeen Foyer; Karen Timoney, FARE Scotland
Arnold Clark’s Community Support provides funding to projects that make a real difference to local communities in the UK. This includes areas such as animal welfare, arts and culture, community enhancement, education and training, sustainability, and more.
To be eligible, organisations must:
Fall into one of these categories: mental health, disability, equality and diversity, relief support, arts and culture, animal welfare, youth groups, community enhancement, sustainability and more.
Be based in, or operate solely within, the UK.
Be located within 50 miles of an Arnold Clark branch.
The Better Breaks programme provides 12-month grants to third sector organisations to develop and deliver short breaks projects and services for disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under), and their carers (adult and/or young carers).
Better Breaks funds a wide range of short breaks projects and activities including holiday activity programmes, after school clubs, sports coaching, and youth groups. The activities can be for children and young people without their carers, with their sibling/young carer, or for whole families to enjoy together.
This funding is for third sector organisations operating in Scotland. The organisation does not have to be a registered charity to apply. However, it must have a constitution that states the organisation’s purposes are solely charitable and that it delivers public benefit in achieving its purpose(s).
“Rights Here. Rights Now.” is a Scotland-wide storytelling and public engagement campaign highlighting how human rights affect everyday life and why stronger human rights protections matter. It aims to strengthen public understanding of human rights and build support for stronger protections, including a Human Rights Bill for Scotland.
The campaign is a collaborative project of JustRight Scotland and Human Rights Consortium Scotland, and is funded by The Independent Human Rights Fund for Scotland and Corra Foundation.
Grants for Good provide unrestricted funding to small and growing local charities, voluntary groups or social enterprises. They support those making a big impact on people, communities or the environment.
Flexible grants of £2,000 – £5,000 are available.
To be eligible for small charity funding, applicants must:
Be a UK-based community group, charity, voluntary group or social enterprise
Have an annual income of less than £50,000.
Have a bank account in the organisation’s name.
To find out more about eligibility and making the best of your application before applying, read the eligibility guidance here(opens in new tab).
The Kincardine & Mearns Citizens Advice Bureau (KAMCAB) is welcoming school students as well as those who want to learn about Youth CAB, and the CAB service as a whole, to an information event on Thursday 8th October from 5pm. The venue is the Courtroom at the Sheriff Court Building, Stonehaven.
They will also have the Therapy Dogs, Yogi and Cindy, along and will provide pizza.
Get more information by emailing bureau@kamcab.org.uk
The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists Charity provides grants of up to £15,000 to UK-registered charities for innovative technology projects.
They focus on projects that use tech to improve lives, strengthen charities, increase inclusion, improve education or help people better understand technology.
Applications for the next funding round will close on November 3 (or sooner if they reach the cap of 50). It will reopen again every three months.
Successful applicants will be notified by December 8.
Organised by SCVO, the Gathering is the largest free voluntary sector event in the UK. It’s an opportunity for all the amazing people working in and with the voluntary sector to network, showcase what they do and learn from each other.
The Gathering returns to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on 2 and 3 February 2027 and will offer a packed programme of workshops, seminars and activities, as well as their popular exhibition.
Find out how you can be part of delivering the UK’s biggest free voluntary sector event here(opens in new tab).
The Kincardineshire Educational Trust was set up for residents, schools and organisations in the former County of Kincardine, to help with the cost of school trips, further education and funding for sports clubs and facilities.
There are limited resources and in the interest of fairness, all applications received are means tested.
To be eligible, you must be a resident in a property which is within the former Kincardine County Council area. You can check the former Kincardineshire boundaries here(opens in new tab), and learn more about the grant here(opens in new tab).
DTAS has launched a Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) Webinar Series. This series covers three topics, with two available dates for each:
Gain an overview to Community Asset Transfer, the legislative process that enables the community ownership and management of publicly owned land and buildings Tuesday, 27th October 2026, 6.30-8.30pm – Sign up here(opens in new tab) Thursday 21st January 2027, 10am-12pm – Sign up here(opens in new tab)
Join this session to discover the key steps to success when setting up a community-controlled organisation and pursuing asset ownership. Tuesday, 24th November 2026, 6.30-8.30pm – Sign up here(opens in new tab) Tuesday, 2nd March 2027,10am-12pm – Sign up here(opens in new tab)
Gain an introductory overview to the legislative processes of Community Right to Buy. Discover how community groups can become eligible Community Bodies and register an interest in or buy local land and buildings in Scotland. Thursday 17th December 2026, 10am-12pm – Sign up here(opens in new tab) Wednesday 24th March 2027, 10am-12pm – Sign up here(opens in new tab)
NESCAN Hub’s Seed Fund is designed for small community projects to address community climate action and biodiversity within Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
Any local not-for-profit community-led organisation, with an annual income under £50,000 that is based in Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire can apply. In some cases, they can accept applications from individuals on behalf of informal groups.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, grants are now a maximum of £500 per organisation to enable as many organisations and projects as possible to be funded.
The Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Energise grants programme will reopen on 28 September 2026, offering two-year unrestricted grants to small Scottish charities supporting vulnerable people.
Charities with annual income below £50,000 can receive £20,000, while those with income between £50,000 and £150,000 can receive £40,000. Funding can support core costs, salaries, service delivery, projects and general running costs. Vulnerability may include poverty, homelessness, unemployment, poor mental health, learning disabilities, family difficulties, education barriers, transport or mobility problems, poor English-language skills and alcohol addiction.
Applicants must be Scottish-registered charities operating in Scotland, have at least one year’s accounts lodged with OSCR, and place vulnerable people at the heart of their work.
Applications close at noon on 7 October 2026, with decisions expected by mid-December and funding awarded in January 2027.
St James Episcopal Church celebrated its Harvest Festival at the weekend. We are now inviting older members of the town who were unable to go along on Sunday to instead join us for a harvest service and afternoon tea on Thursday October 1.
Our afternoon in the church hall (to the rear of the church) begins at 2.30pm, with doors open from 2.15pm – and will last until about 4pm.
We have arranged a short harvest celebration with hymns, a short reading, a few celebratory prayers and a lively, thoughtful address from our current priest Canon Rev. Mary Jepp.
Following the short service the social committee of St James will serve a ‘fine, sweet’ piece/s and tea and coffee and encourage a social chatty atmosphere.
The care homes and sheltered housing complexes have already received invitations and this invitation is for anyone in the town who would like to join us.
The ongoing planning appeal regarding the proposed Hurlie 400kV Substation in Fetteresso Forest raises a critical question for the Stonehaven community: why are we being asked to accept a massive, destructive footprint when the technology to radically shrink it is already being deployed less than 20 miles away.?
As currently designed, the Hurlie development relies on an Air-Insulated Switchgear (AIS) layout. Because this technology uses open atmospheric air to insulate high-voltage conductors, it demands vast physical clearances to prevent electrical arcing. Standard utility designs often favour these sprawling outdoor yards because they are traditionally less complex to install than modern indoor alternatives. Furthermore, when communities press for compact layouts, developers historically pointed to the environmental risks of Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS), which traditionally relied on SF₆—a greenhouse gas thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide.
However, technology has evolved rapidly, and the industry is shifting. At the Kintore Substation upgrade near Leylodge, a world-first, environmentally friendly 420kV GIS system utilizing GE Vernova’s "g³" green gas technology has been installed. By switching from SF₆ to an eco-efficient gas mixture, this technology slashes the carbon footprint by 99% while compressing the active switchgear footprint by 70% to 90% compared to an open-air yard. Other leading manufacturers like Hitachi Energy and Siemens offer parallel SF₆-free, ultra-compact 420kV systems.
Because the equipment is tightly insulated, the entire switching system sits cleanly inside a modest, warehouse-style indoor building, drastically reducing the required land use, tree felling, and heavy earthworks.
If this world-class, compact, and environmentally friendly green-gas switching system can be successfully deployed to reinforce our regional grid so close to home at Kintore, it proves that a similar compact, low-impact indoor alternative is technically viable for the Hurlie node.
As the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) reviews case PPA-110-2474, our community has every right to demand a technological compromise. We do not have to choose between green energy transmission and the preservation of Fetteresso Forest. The Kintore project has already proven that the industry can achieve both. It is time that same standard of environmental care and space optimization was applied to Hurlie.
Yours sincerely,
Ian Hunter (with assistance from AI)
Feature image of existing Fetteresso substation used for illustration only
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