Rugby star Kenny Logan's fury over Denny power line

Oct 27 2010 by Iain Howie, Stirling Observer Wednesday

STIRLING County legend and Scotland international Kenny Logan has blasted the Scottish Government over its “pathetic” handling of the Beauly to Denny power line decision.

In an exclusive interview with the Stirling Observer as he prepares to lead a protest meeting in the city on Friday, he called on residents to “stand up for Stirling and Scotland” and make one last push for the high-voltage power line to be buried.

And he condemned the SNP at Holyrood and revealed Scottish ministers had just THIS WEEK said responsibility for the line was ultimately held at Westminster – after SIX YEARS of campaigning, petitioning and lobbying with the Scottish Parliament.

Kenny said: “The big problem with the power line is that people think it has simply gone away. It’s not – and if people don’t get on board and protest to get it buried, it will be here to stay – long after we’ve gone, scarring the Ochils and visible all around Stirling.

“It can still be buried and people should be asking the Scottish Government for a full explanation why they say they won’t demand it.”

Kenny, who was brought up on a farm in the shadow of the Wallace Monument and whose mother and brother still live there, said he was “fearful” that issues such as the health problems linked to power lines hadn’t been given due credit in the power line’s planning approval.

And he said he’d written to minister Jim Mather looking for explanations, but they’d never been fully answered.

He added: “I am deeply unhappy about the line and I am not the only one ... farmers around here are too.

“I have seen Scottish Power’s leaflet on its mitigation scheme. To me it’s basically putting across its side of the story using pictures of work methods and images of machinery which haven’t been used for years.

“I’d be happy to have the line buried on my land. I have offered to set aside a chunk of land for the line, but instead they want to put it overhead on giant pylons over my fields.”

He added: “This week the SNP MSPs are now telling us that it’s the UK parliament which is responsible for the line, not Scotland, which goes against all we’ve been doing for the past six years.

“It’s as if the SNP Government is backing out on this matter and giving up. They are washing their hands of responsibility – it’s pathetic.

“Someone there needs to stand up for Stirling and Scotland – perhaps if they can’t we should and maybe get them to listen.”

On Monday a mitigation scheme for other sections of the power line were given the go-ahead by the Scottish Government.

lKenny will lead the protest meeting on Friday at King Street, Stirling, from 5.30pm. Other speakers include Councillor Callum Campbell from the power line steering group, David MacLehose (Scotland Before Pylons), Jim Macrae (Clan Macrae) and Dr Christopher Duffy (historian) and Rev Stuart Fulton, among others.

l Scottish Power and the Beauly to Denny Steering Group are holding the last of drop in sessions and meetings this week. These are today (Wednesday) at the Balfour Centre in Plean at 5pm (meeting 7.30pm) and tomorrow (Thursday) at Cowie Community Centre at 5pm (meeting 7.30pm).

See article: "Treat Stirling seriously, say protesters" for more on the power line

not over: Power line “can still be buried” says Kenny Logan, pictured above at an earlier protest.