The project
A nationally significant project to install a 132kV new overhead cable line stretching 100 miles from Fort Augustus on the Scottish mainland to Ardmore on the Isle of Skye, supporting the island and beyond to the Outer Hebrides.
Upgrading this transmission network will ensure connections for renewable energy development, support delivery of the UK and Scottish Governments’ Net Zero policy targets and secure power for generations.
This project comprises:
- 110k of new 132kV steel lattice towers
- 14km of underground cabling
- 27km of 132kV trident wood H poles
- 2 large substation upgrades
- 2 sealing end compound sites
- numerous permanent/temporary new access tracks or upgrades.
Our role
B&P were instructed to work with their client throughout the land assembly of this project. This was led by our highly experienced Networks team.
They worked closely with our Land Information and GIS team on a large land referencing task to identify all landowners, rights and agreements.
We then developed a land assembly strategy and carried out all engagement and negotiations to secure the necessary land rights from Fort Augustus to Ardmore.
We continue to support this project as it now has planning permission and moves to the construction phase, with our team on site working with the client, contractors and stakeholders.
Services provided:
- A comprehensive Land Strategy identifying the number of land agreements required, recommendations on how best to acquire the necessary rights/land, a projected budget and any challenges the project may face.
- Land referencing to determine all land interests, including sasine searches for unregistered land, and an interactive GIS portal for the client to view all interests along the route.
- Landowner and stakeholder discussions including attending consultation meetings.
- Arranging access licences for engineering and environmental intrusive and non-intrusive surveys. Where access consent was refused, we assisted in acquiring access through statutory notices.
- Acquisition of option agreements for Deed of Servitudes, wayleave agreements and strategic options to purchase land for the substation and sealing end compound sites. This involved negotiating a variety of heads of claim for compensation such as servitude payments, disturbance and injurious affection. Furthermore, our GIS team was tasked with creating all plans associated with any land agreements.
- Creating a bespoke budgeting spreadsheet to monitor all compensation costs.
- Assistance with the necessary wayleave process for any interests where a voluntary agreement did not look possible.
- Drafting landowner commitment reports detailing the proposed timeframes for construction, methodology for the works and clear reinstatement proposals.
- Weekly update meetings with the client to ensure all milestones and issues were captured.
Challenges
The key challenge with this project was the considerable number of different land interests stretching 100 miles across the Scottish Highlands. Circa 140 agreements were required with a wide range of land uses from large estates, crofting and common grazings.
Poor land registry data meant we needed to carry out extensive sasine searches and landowner discussions to map out every land interest along the route.
The project was also contentious with several local parties initially reluctant to provide consent. Added to this was a challenging timeframe.
Fortunately, at B&P we like a good challenge. Proactive engagement and building relationships are at the heart of what we do. We worked as a team, carrying out extensive engagement and where necessary advising on statutory powers to secure agreements.
Various complex compensation negotiations were required, including timber crop compensation, development loss for residential plots/peatland restoration projects and disturbance claims across large farming estates. We used our experience in dealing with compensation claims to offer professional advice on approaching each of these.
Ultimately all agreements were secured voluntarily and on time, allowing the project to successfully progress to the planning stage.
Highlights
This project gave us a great understanding of the variety of highland land, interests and concerns across the route.
Our detailed land referencing allowed us to quickly identify all the affected parties and put into place a proactive strategy to engage with the right people.
Working on the project from its inception has allowed our team to develop trusted relationships with landowners and occupiers, handling potentially difficult conversations sensitively to secure land agreements even in contentious situations. These relationships will continue to support the project through the construction phase.
Our team has consistently delivered in negotiating fair settlements for the client whilst also advising on when the statutory process might be necessary to protect the projects programme.