News From Orkney Islands Council

A meeting of Orkney Islands Council’s Full Council yesterday, 1st of October 2019, approved planning permission for the erection of a substation and associated works at land near Heddle Hill in Firth.

The Full Council met to determine the planning application rather than the Planning Committee as planning applications defined as being ‘national’ (i.e. a development listed in the National Planning Framework 3 and therefore of national significance) must be determined by the Council rather than the Planning Committee.

The proposal was for the erection and operation of a 220/132kV substation, comprising a platform area, electrical infrastructure and buildings, associated plant, ancillary infrastructure, drainage, landscaping access road and temporary construction compound areas.

The development site lies to the south west of Finstown.

Full details of the application are available on the Council website here.

A total of 11 objections have been received from 10 individuals and one from Orkney Heritage Society.

The application was approved on a vote of 10 to 4.

Finstown substation – aerial view – image SSEN Transmission