Who we are:
We're the combined communities of Kylerhea and Kyleakin on Skye, and Glenelg on the Scottish mainland.
These are traditional townships, rich in unspoiled beauty, world class heritage and rare wildlife.
But our communities are now under threat from a proposed new line of super pylons which
would have a catastrophic impact on the landscape, lives and livelihoods of the people here.
Many of us have lived in Kylerhea, Kyleakin and Glenelg for generations. We see ourselves as custodians of the landscape, much of which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
We’re opposing Scottish and Southern Electricity Network’s (SSEN) catastrophic proposal to
run super pylons through our communities. But so far, our calls have been ignored.
Now, we desperately need your help to make our voices heard by politicians who have the
power to veto this plan.
The threat:
SSEN is planning a line of super pylons that will wreck unspoilt landscapes, harm communities and put wildlife at risk.
If this destructive proposal goes ahead it will threaten water supplies and have irreversible
impacts on people and livelihoods in Kylerhea, Kyleakin and Glenelg.
The new line, known as Route 3B, would rip through fragile ecosystems, virgin peatland and
special areas of conservation. But there is another way. Route 3A is an existing route of
pylons that could simply be upgraded instead.
Our community fully supports renewable energy. But we can’t comprehend how Route 3B can be considered when there is an alternative that won’t harm people, wildlife and the environment.
Catastrophic impacts:
1 / Devastating for jobs and livelihoods
The crossing between Glenelg and Kylerhea is used by local people and thousands of tourists each year. It’s a lifeline for our communities and a vital gateway to Skye and the rest of the Highlands.
The community interest company that runs the ferry employs 10% of working people in Glenelg and Kylerhea. It has stated frequently that Route 3B would be hugely disruptive to the ferry crossing and may even force its closure.
If the ferry can no longer transport the thousands of people it does each year, it will have a devastating impact on local jobs and businesses, including shops, pubs and holiday rentals.
In contrast, Route 3A is an existing route of pylons which, if reinforced, would have no impact on communities.
2 / Danger to water supplies
Every house in Kylerhea gets its water from private supplies which come off the burns on the flank of Benn Buidhe. There are no piped water supplies to our entire area.
If Route 3B goes ahead, pylons erected in our water catchment area will critically damage our water supplies.
Clean water is a basic UN human right. But while we’ve raised this huge worry regularly, SSEN has failed to address it.
3 / Destruction of rare wildlife habitats
Ours is a spectacularly dramatic setting with a backdrop of rugged mountain scenery.
This unique habitat is home to vital wildlife populations including, a significant colony of otters, a seal haul-out, sea eagles, pine martens, red deer and sea birds. Forestry and Land Scotland has
described it as “one of the best places in Britain to spot otters and other marine wildlife.”
On the Kylerhea side, the landscape is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a
Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
If the proposal goes ahead, pylons and power lines will devastate this pristine environment,
putting rare wildlife at risk.
4 / Irrevocable damage to virgin peatland
The massive construction works needed to install the pylons would destroy crucial tracts of virgin peatland. These fragile ecosystems are important havens for wildlife. They’re also essential in the fight against climate change, as peat stores vast quantities of carbon.
5 / Risk to globally significant heritage and culture
The ancient crossing between Glenelg and Kylerhea is home to the last turntable ferry in the
world, which attracts visitors from all over the globe.
This route was used by cattle drovers for centuries, and was the principal crossing point until the Victorian rail terminus was established at Kyle of Lochalsh. On either side of the Narrows, the slipways and old droving inns form a group of listed buildings.
A place of legend, it’s here that the Fianna - the war-band of Fionn MacCumhal - were said to have leapt across when they came on hunting expeditions.
If Route 3B goes ahead, this precious heritage is at risk of irrevocable damage.
The alternative:
There is an existing route that simply needs to be upgraded.
Route 3A already runs up the southeast of Skye and doesn’t affect settlements, crofts and
villages.
There is absolutely no need for the route through Glenelg and Kylerhea to be proposed when there is an existing 3A route for the pylons. Route 3B would do irreversible damage to our communities, landscape, wildlife and heritage.
We fully support renewable energy in the right place. But we urge decision makers at Holyrood to take the only sensible decision in this case: reject Route 3B and reinforce the existing Route 3A.