Working alongside SP Energy Networks, the Erskine to Devol Moor 132kV Overhead Line project is required to reinforce 16km of existing electricity grid network. This will ensure the security of supply.

The developer sought Section 37 Consent from the Scottish Ministers supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report prepared by LUC.

The project aims to reinforce the electricity transmission network across Scotland, thereby enhancing the security of energy supply.

It will contribute towards Scotland's environmental goals by supporting renewable energy generation and achieving Net Zero emissions. It will also promote biodiversity enhancement through careful planning and environmental assessment.

LUC contributed ecological expertise to the project via the design and delivery of wide-ranging ecological surveys, including those for habitats and vegetation, protected species, and ornithological features.

We used data to deliver an Ecological Impact Assessment with associated mitigation strategies, and a baseline Biodiversity Enhancement toolkit.

Between 2017 and 2020, LUC supported SP Energy Networks through several stages, this included:

• Routeing and Consultation;
• Design; and
• Environmental Impact Assessment – this culminated in the production of the EIA report.

Additionally, LUC assisted SP Energy Networks with post-application planning support.

Our landscape architects, ecologists, and historic environmental experts also undertook detailed environmental surveys.

To augment their findings, our in-house visualisations team provided advanced graphical representations, offering immersive and insightful depictions of the surveyed landscapes.