Last chance to sign petition asking for Keith Blackhillock II substation rethink
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A PETITION protesting a major planned substation outside Keith is ending tomorrow.
Organiser Linda Gorn said her petition, asking SSEN to rethink plans to construct the Blackhillock II substation on the outskirts of Keith by the A95 Banff Road, has already garnered hundreds of signatures.
However, she encouraged concerned locals to add their voice to the campaign against the planned development, near Drum Farm, by signing the petition before they are collected on Wednesday (May 31).
Copies are still available to sign at the Community Centre, the Deli Shop and Baird's Pharmacy.
"We certainly have hundreds of signatures, from what I've got sitting here in front of me and from what is still sat elsewhere," Mrs Gorn said.
"And the general feeling is to ask SSEN to please rethink the site.
"You still have time to sign the petition and make your feeling known.
"And people can still get in touch with myself to share their thoughts and feelings, if they're unhappy with where SSEN propose to put it."
The proposed site of Blackhillock II is a mile-and-a-half from the first Blackhillock substation.
If completed, the substation would be the third piece of major electricity infrastructure built around Keith in recent years.
In consultation documents released in March this year, SSEN said: "Multiple sites were considered and appraised as part of the optioneering process, and a preferred site was selected based on evaluation criteria, considering environmental and technical constraints."
When considering where to house the latest development, the firm identified 17 sites near the existing Blackhillock substation, which it narrowed down to five after an August 2022 site visit.
The location by the A95 Banff Road and Drum Farm, also known as Site 10, was eventually selected as the preferred site.
Explaining the benefits of the location, the SSEN consultation documents say: "Site 10 accommodates the substation design and size, and offers a degree of flexibility with regards to future renewable energy connections to the site."
Mrs Gorn said: "Our problem is the fact that it's so close to the town.
"And our slogan is basically: 'Enough is enough.'
"They are going ahead with things in the area and it seems like we only find out after the fact.
"In this case, though, there is a consultation and hopefully SSEN will take on board our concerns that it is too close to the town.
"It is so close to the schools, the nursery, a housing estate and the nursing home.
"And no matter, how they try and cover it up, it's going to be an absolute eyesore."
She added: "And the other big thing is that it doesn't allow for the town to grow.
"Because if there was expansion, it would be out on the A95 Banff Road.
"If they build there, there will be no room for expansion and it could stop the bypass if we went ahead with that.
"It is just simply in the wrong location. It's as simple as that."
