ASH undertook environmental appraisal and landscape design for conversion of the Sloy Switching Station

The 132 kV Sloy Switching Station is located in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, close to walking routes for several popular Munros. When the existing switching station was identified as reaching the end of its operational life, SHE Transmission took the opportunity to convert the site into a Gas Insulated System contained within a new building and thereby reducing the environmental impacts of the scheme.

Key Tasks

Screening and Scoping

EIA coordination and project management

Landscape and visual impact assessment

Landscape mitigation

Stakeholder consultation

Environmental monitoring during construction

 

 

What we did

SHE Transmission employed ASH to co-ordinate an Environmental Appraisal for the proposed scheme including ecological, archaeological and landscape and visual surveys and to prepare and submit the Planning Application. ASH also provided advice on design and landscape reinstatement for the project and liaised with specialist sub-consultant architects Page \ Park on the design of the new building. A high quality and robust design was considered important, given the location of the building in the National Park. A simple building form was chosen with a dark non-reflective granite finish.   A new access from the west ensures that a smooth transition between the building and the natural landscape is maintained from key south-easterly views. ASH also provided advice on a variety of associated permitted development works relating to conversion of the overhead wirescape to buried cables.

Planning permission was granted in July 2012 and work commenced on-site in September 2012.  ASH was retained on the project through the construction phase to ensure compliance with the Conditions of Consent and to provide advice on landscape and environmental matters. ASH carried out on-site environmental monitoring and provided an on-going review of contractors’ method statements, as well as continued liaison with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority.

The new switching station and associated reinstatement works are now complete.

 

Find out more

We’re always happy to answer your questions. If you’d like to find out more about the services we can offer for your project, you can email us on info@ashglasgow.com or call 0141 227 3388.