From Denny substation the overhead line (OHL) will travel on a route north east toward Carbrook Mains, south of the village of Plean. The area is largely rural, with a number of farm steadings and roadside properties surrounding Plean.
The routeing of the OHL set out to respect the lowland landscape character in this area through the careful siting of towers and the removal and undergrounding of several sections of the existing overhead electrical network.
Work has commenced in the area to install a number of access tracks providing construction access to the tower locations, also teams of surveyors are carrying out work at sections of the OHL or areas to be used for access. In addition to the works on private land, work has been undertaken recently to provide passing places, widen sections of public roads and provide access from public roads to dedicated construction access tracks. This element of facilitation work is expected to be largely completed in the Denny to Carbrook section of the OHL by the beginning of 2014. In tandem to the works above, fencing contractors will be working at a number of sites between Denny and Carbrook Mains to fence off working areas ensuring a safe environment for the works to be carried out.
The formation of construction access tracks and the creation of areas of improved public road seek to ensure that all workers, plant and materials move to and from the project site in a safe manner whilst ensuring minimum disturbance to the local area. These access tracks and improvements will, for the most part, be temporary features with land being restored and reinstated to a high standard.
What will be happening between Denny and Carbrook Mains in 2014?
- Environmental and technical surveys will be carried out at tower locations and access track locations along the route of the line. This will involve small groups of professionals taking walking access or, where possible limited vehicular access to sites and performing a range of surveys, often utilising specialist surveying equipment.
- Fencing contractors will be taking vehicular access to sites along this section of the route for the construction of temporary wooden fencing which will demarcate site areas at or near tower locations. Site compounds or fenced off areas have been planned in consultation with Local Authority access officers to, where possible, prevent disturbance to public rights of way or core paths.
- The construction of dedicated construction access tracks, together with improvement to the public road network started in September 2013 will continue over the early part of 2014. These roads will be constructed in stone which will be transported to site in heavy goods vehicles. Access tracks, once constructed will allow vehicles and materials to be transported between sites while minimising disruption to other road users in the wider local area.
- Tower foundations will be installed by transporting concrete to site and pouring concrete bases upon which steel towers will be constructed in sections using a crane. It is intended that work on these bases and the erection of towers will begin from July 2014.