Listening is only part of effective communication. Cats listen. They can look directly at you, tilt their heads and listen to what you are saying, but what do they do with the information they are receiving? As many cat owners will tell you, invariably nothing. They have their own agendas and once you finish speaking to them they’ll go ahead and do what they were planning to do anyway, regardless.
SSEN, government ministers and energy companies alike have been treating us in much the same way, with their actions or inactions following consultations, showing disregard or indifference for our concerns and leaving people feeling that the claims that we are being listened to are sadly superficial and meaningless. With government ministers openly putting energy companies, policy, political ambition and investment interests before local people and communities, people are feeling that a mockery is being made of the planning system, democracy, truth and justice and that they are losing their voice. www.thewalloftruthcarrolrock.co.uk aims to give them their voice back and show visibly what people really feel about SSEN’s plans. It is a chance for people to tell their truth, how they really feel and whether or not they feel the plans are acceptable or not.
Whether we live in Spittal, Skye, Bonar Bridge, The Shetlands, Strath Oykel, Beauly, Strathpeffer or Brora we are all neighbours and we are all being affected by the relentless onslaught of energy industry infrastructure, the same superficial listening from the companies taking advantage of it and the same planning system and decision making process that is failing us.
It seems we follow the system and do the right thing. We go to consultations with developers and tell them clearly we don’t want their development here, it is wrong here. Our local councillors tell them the same. Nature and heritage groups tell them the same. Our Highland council object and tell them the same. A public enquiry is held and again the local people tell them, sometimes feeling intimidated by developers, sometimes pleading with clenched fists and tears, not here, it is wrong. At times even the government reporters advise the government that the development should not happen it should be rejected. Then right at the end of all those people and groups speaking out, a government minister shows us how much they have been listening and how important they feel we all are, by in effect telling us we are all wrong and granting consent to the project.
SSEN also seem to be practicing a similar form of listening all along their pylon route. Their marketing teams are very polished and the messages we get make the Pylon route and substations seem like something that they are doing out of the goodness of their hearts to help the planet and our future, yet do we ever stop to think that as a private company they may need all this more than we do?
In their annual report last year SSE’s chairman states:-
“Together as a group, SSE’s businesses are well positioned to capture the substantial growth opportunities generated, by driving and accelerating the Net Zero agenda through electricity infrastructure”
In the same report we also hear how SSE are engaged constructively with Policymakers, ensuring they can generate value for their Shareholders, whilst in government circles we hear ministers making statements about opening up economic export and investment opportunities and how everything needs to be accelerated including the decision making process.
Could their need to drive and accelerate the Net Zero agenda cloud or affect SSEN’s listening and decision making skills?
The Wall of Truth Carrol Rock is here at a time where the truth and how people really feel is more important than ever. The planning process doesn’t allow us to say all we want to say. Some of our feelings, thoughts and concerns are considered invalid and ignored almost immediately when it comes to making any official objection and so when people can’t say what they want to say , they say nothing at all.
We want to enable people to speak, to have a voice. We want that to be visible so the truth can be seen.
On page 19 of SSEN’s latest alignment report summary (available to download on our site) they state “The overhead line crossing the loch (Brora) will have no impact on leisure activities”
How thoughtful, kind and knowledgeable of them to tell us how we will feel. How silly of all the people who voiced this concern to have thought that their solace, mental health, wellbeing businesses, tourism, heritage, archeology, nature and fishing could be affected by 60m pylons cutting across our special place. Shame on us for being so blinkered”
If you read on through all the other concerns, groups and peoples comments that SSEN have recorded as us voicing, you get the feeling that they have chosen their route across the Loch as it will be less of a headache for them and cheaper. How very caring and gracious that our concerns have been dealt with in this way.
It is time for the people to speak now and record their truth.
It is time for SSEN to listen
Make your voice count and have your say on www.thewalloftruthcarrolrock.co.uk
