Energy firm backs new homes plan
Plans for 47 new homes in Brechin are being supported by SSEN Transmission as part of its proposed Kintore to Tealing 400kV overhead line project.
The energy company is providing a multi-million-pound contribution towards a new housing development in the town. The 47 affordable homes are planned for the Brechin Infirmary Housing Development, after SSEN Transmission agreed to support North East-based housing developer CHAP Group with significant funding for the site.
The new homes are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
The homes will initially accommodate workers involved in the construction of the proposed Kintore to Tealing project, before being made available to the local community, as a mix of affordable and social housing.
Caryn Jack, SSEN Transmission’s programme director for the Kintore to Tealing project, said: “We’re proud to be supporting the delivery of new homes in Brechin through our partnership with CHAP Group.
“This development is a great example of how our projects can deliver lasting benefits for local communities – not just by strengthening the electricity network to achieve clean power and energy security, but by creating opportunities for people and places to thrive.
“As we progress the Kintore to Tealing project, we want to ensure that our investment leaves a positive and lasting legacy, helping to provide much-needed housing and supporting the long-term resilience of the town.”
Hugh Craigie, CHAP Group managing director, added: “CHAP is delighted to receive the backing of SSEN Transmission for this development of much-needed housing in the Brechin area.
“We look forward to seeing the hard work of the combined SSEN Transmission / CHAP team come to fruition.”
Initial funding will unlock the development and allow activities to progress, and SSEN Transmission intends to provide further significant, multi-million-pound funding for construction works.
The funding marks one of the first major agreements that SSEN Transmission has reached with a housing developer under its housing strategy commitment to support the delivery of 1,000 new homes across the north of Scotland as a legacy of its workforce accommodation requirements.
The company also says it provides a clear example of the economic and social benefits that upgrading the electricity grid can deliver, with the Brechin housing development creating and sustaining jobs and apprenticeship opportunities, while also delivering much-needed affordable housing.
SSEN Transmission lodged its Section 37 application for the 70-mile overhead line from Kintore to Tealing last month.
However, as previously reported, there is considerable opposition to the project, which would feature a line of 350 pylons, each up to 190 feet tall. More than 10,300 objections have been sent to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit. The final say rests with Scottish Ministers.