New Facebook Page NB Correction

We have a lovely new Facebook page now devoted entirely to the Pylon Problem

Please like this page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/KAP/1652166841736188

Use this from now onwards

It is called KAP

Contacting Elected Representatives instructions

Go to http://www.kirkmahoe.com/no-pylons.html#/

Click on Elected Representatives Contact details

Divide number of representatives into 4 lots

Select first lot, and copy.

Paste this into BCC section of email.

in the To section of mail put your own email address

Subject of email put Pylons

Now go back to  http://www.kirkmahoe.com/no-pylons.html#/ click on Done for you letters.

Choose a letter,

Copy and paste this into a Word document

Modify this letter to your own circumstances

Select all, Copy and Paste into email.

Do the same for the 4 emails you will be sending.

Send your mails to the representatives.

Now go and treat yourself to something really good, Chocolate, beer, glass of wine etc.

Pylons Check List

Check list for the campaign against Pylons.
Fill in tick box 
Sign petition
Fill in Detailed feedback form
Write to Elected Representatives
links to all these are on 

http://www.kirkmahoe.com/no-pylons.html#/

Our overseas readers can help us too by using post code DG1 1ST for the 38degrees petition

Please send this letter to your Christmas list

Perhaps you could send this letter to all on your Christmas list, and ask them to do likewise.

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Hello Friends

I am sending you this 38 degrees petition 

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-dumfries-galloway-pylons 

because we need thousands of signatures to have any effect on the SPEN plans to erect     50 m (164’)tall super pylons in our beautiful area, thus spoiling it for ever.

There is an alternative undersea route, or lines could be undergrounded.

I draw your attention to our Facebook page 
https://www.facebook.com/kirkton.dalswinton and request you become a friend.

We also have our Community website http://www.kirkmahoe.com/no-pylons.html#/ where you can find links to give you more information.

In order to ramp up our campaign we request your valuable assistance in sending this to lots of your friends so they too can sign our petition.

Please help save our lovely valleys from such desecration.

The diagram/picture below gives some idea of the height they will be.

No Pylons elected representatives contact details link/Volunteers for Leaflet delivery/

New info on http://www.kirkmahoe.com/no-pylons.html#/

There is a link to details of all our local representatives.

Please try to contact as many of these elected representatives as you can.Bombard them with emails.

Please pass this on to your friends if you want to stop these pylons being erected in our area.

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Looking for volunteers to deliver leaflets in Kirkmahoe area. Reply to kirkmahoe@gmail.com

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38degrees Petition

It appears that you can't sign the petition using a non-UK postcode. 
I've heard from 38 Degrees as follows: "The software that is used for 38 Degrees online actions also relies in part on the UK postcode database to ensure that each electronic signature comes from an individual.
If other people feel strongly about this issue, perhaps they can talk to or email any UK-based friends or family to tell them about the campaign and encourage them to sign it". Or I guess they might just use the UK postcode of a friend as long as they are an individual with a legitimate view on the pylons?

David Howdle

Defibrillator Training

People seemed to think at the KCC meeting that people don't need to
attend the training sessions for the defibrillator to be installed
externally at Kirkton Hall. Karen Lewis at the Hub says that in order to
qualify for the insurance cover people must attend one of the training
sessions: Wed. 29th at Georgetown Community Centre at 6.00pm or on
Thurs. 30th at Thornhill Community Centre at 2.00pm.

Please put out an appeal for a few more volunteers. People don't have to
live near the hall to qualify. Those at a distance from the hall might
be useful if attending a function in the hall when such expertise might
be needed to save a life.

Morag

Kirkmahoe.com is being updated with Pylon information and links

Please visit http://www.kirkmahoe.com/no-pylons.html to find out where you can gain more information and get links to feedback forms online petition etc. please note this is under construction at the moment.

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You will receive this letter from SPEN informing us that we now have until 31st August to lodge our objections. Look out for it and do not throw it out.

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ANYone wishing to leave a comment or put some ideas forward can now do so on forum at foot of kirkmahoe.com webpage. Click on News for this.

Kirkmahoe Residents Against Pylons undersea route possible

Kirkmahoe Residents Against Pylons Petition to sign

Dear friends,

I just signed the petition "Stop the Dumfries & Galloway Pylons" and wanted to ask if you could add your name too.

This campaign means a lot to me and the more support we can get behind it, the better chance we have of succeeding. You can read more and sign the petition here:

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/…/stop-the-dumfries-galloway-py…

Can you also take a moment to share the petition with others? It's really easy – all you need to do is forward this email or click these links:

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Thank you!

Kirkmahoe Residents Against Pylons

http://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/dumfries_galloway_feedback_form.asp

Scottish Power Energy Networks Pylon Proposal

NB please send in  your forms asap. we only have until 24th July to object.

Dear Kirkmahoe resident.

A presentation and meeting about the pylons will take place in Kirkton village hall this Sunday, 19th July at 2pm.

Alan Jones, who is a Dunscore resident with in depth knowledge of electrical engineering and carbon research, will deliver the presentation. The presentation itself takes about an hour including questions, and there will be plenty of time after that for further questions and discussion. The information and knowledge that Alan is willing to share with us will be invaluable in the coming months as we develop our challenge to the Pylon proposal.

Leaflets are being issued to each household in Kirkmahoe tomorrow or on Friday, and a simple objection form will be enclosed which you may wish to use to respond to SPEN. Responses must be received by next Friday 24th July. This deadline is extremely tight, so can you complete your form and send it off as soon as possible. You simply need to tick the boxes and show your personal details at the bottom, and if possible can you ask each person in your household to complete a form. A freepost envelope will be enclosed with the form. SPEN have suggested to allow at least a week for delivery so these forms must go as soon as possible.

If you prefer to give your feedback online you can do so right up to midnight on 24th July. You can find the form at http://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/dumfries_galloway_feedback_form.asp

Feedback and objections need not be restricted to Kirkmahoe residents, and if you have relatives or friends who regularly visit and enjoy this area please ask them to help us by sending in their concerns. What is important at this stage is to get as many responses as possible to SPEN. They don’t need to be finely and fully argued at this stage as we can follow them up later as necessary. What is essential is maximum numbers of objections. Local bodies will challenge the quite appallingly short timescale we’ve been given with SPEN, but for our part as the residents like to have our pretty countryside blighted for ever we need to hit as hard as we can with volume of responses.

Please do your best to let everyone know about this risk to our local scenery, and encourage as many as possible to submit an objection as soon as possible.

Kirkmahoe Residents Against Pylons Form to Download

KCC Meeting

NB The meeting tonight of KCC will be at Dalswinton Hall and NOT Kirkton Hall as previously thought.

Say NO to Pylons

Scottish Power Energy Networks Pylon Proposal

Dear Kirkmahoe resident.

As you’ll know, Scottish Power Energy Networks plan to replace high power voltage lines from South Ayrshire to Harker in Carlisle. This is to allow the transmission of electricity to Northern Ireland and England. Their intention is to replace existing 132kv lines with 400kv lines. These lines will travel on massive 164 ft pylons, well above the existing height of the military low flying aircraft we have across parts of this area.

The current line runs south from New Galloway to Tongland Kirkcudbright through under populated areas. It then turns north, again through under populated areas, to skirt the southern edges of Dumfries.

Their proposed replacement route follows a narrow corridor travelling through some of the prettiest countryside in Dumfriesshire. In particular it will travel through Dunscore, Burnhead, Duncow, Kirkton, etc. The exact route has not been admitted by SPEN, but since this is a very narrow corridor of land, it will be impossible to avoid huge visual impact on this area. Apart from the visual impact we can expect from these brutally massive towers, there is well documented evidence of reduced house values in areas close to such pylons.

The SPEN documents suggest they “want to keep any impact on the area’s natural and built heritage, including the people who work there to a minimum”. We might therefore expect they would follow the existing route, or put the line underground.

There is clearly an absolute contradiction between the statement above and the intention to bring columns of 164 ft pylons down a narrow, gently contoured corridor of land.

This SPEN proposed route, and transmission method is quite obviously based on money. Lowest possible installation costs, and maximum long-term revenue for those exporting electricity to Northern Ireland and England. This proposal is not in keeping with this gentle valley of rolling hillsides and pretty hamlets. Following the existing route, and then taking the new line under the seabed to Harker is perfectly viable. There are already west and east coast undersea routes from Scotland to England. Our concerns about our small community in terms of house property values and visual amenity will be trampled underfoot unless we act now to lodge our objections.

Objections must be lodged by 24^th July. The Community Council is trying to arrange a presentation for us all in Kirkton village hall at the weekend, to help us decide the most effective means of challenging the proposal. Please watch on the blog or Facebook for further updates on this.

Say NO to Pylons feedback Form

Here is a feedback form which can be used as an example of what you could put on your form. The more forms we have filled in, the better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PYLONS in Nithsdale

SP Energy Networks  by e-mail dgsr@communityrelations.co.uk       14 Jul 2015

FEEDBACK FORM FOR Dumfries and Galloway Strategic Reinforcement Project.

The feedback form provided by SPEN contains inadequate space to complete answers.  I am therefore submitting this document which follows, as far as possible, the headings on the form.

Title: Mrs               First Name: XXXXXX                      Surname: XXXXXX

Are you responding on behalf of an organisation?  No, but I am a member of the Community Council and Chair of a local group which develops walks to show the history, diversity and beauty of our area.

Address:  XXXXXX Kirkton, Dumfries

Postcode:  DG1  

Telephone:  01387 710XXX

E-mail:  XXXXX@gmail.com               YES to receive updates.

Age Range:  51-65

Attended exhibition on 17th June in Locharbriggs

Q1.  General Comments on project.  How identified possible corridors and substation locations, how we decided on preferred options.

A1.  The manner in which this bombshell was delivered was totally insensitive.  We do not know how the decisions on the preferred route were reached.  Various members of the team at the exhibition were giving different answers to questions.

We accept the need for a new high voltage line, but do not accept that the route has to be within the parameters outlined by SPEN.

The route chosen has no doubt been chosen for a number of reasons, including:

Cost.  No facts were available about how costings were done.  The relative cost of alternative routes using overhead and underground cables was not laid out.  It would appear that the losses to house owners associated with depreciation of house values in a relatively poor area are not considered to be part of the equation.

Wild Life. Any pylon route crossing D&G from west to east is almost bound to cut across bird migration and local feeding-roosting routes. Kirkmahoe is no exception and though this parish might not quite have the same numbers as move up and down the Ken Valley or around the Glencaple area, or have Greenland White-fronted Geese (perceived to have a high conservation status), there important issues here in Kirkmahoe. Those that come to mind at once are:

1. Grey Herons. One of the largest heronries in Scotland is in the Kirkton area and birds fly from the heronry to the Nith every day from February to August as well as to wetlands in other directions. They often feed at night and could be prone to collision with cables. Currently about 34 pairs nest but there have been over 40 pairs.

2. Pink-footed Geese and Greylag Geese migrate up and down the Nith valley, at low and high altitude and there are some local movements to get to and from feeding areas. Sometimes they fly in fog or thick mist and could be prone to collisions.

3. Whooper Swans also migrate up and down the Nith valley, often at low level. Feeding flocks occur at Riggfoot, Netherholm and Kerricks (and move between these farms, and Caerlaverock etc). Some flocks that pass up the valley are too large to be local birds and are probably from Caerlaverock or elsewhere. Conservation status: The whooper swan is included in the Birds of Conservation Concern Amber List (medium conservation concern). It receives general protection in Great Britain under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act and listed under Annex I of the EC Birds Directive. Listed as a Species of European Conservation Concern.

4. The Nith is a regular migration route for Eurasian Curlews, which have 'near threatened' status, heading north in spring, and sometimes travel at night.

5. Ducks and other wader species also head up the valley in small numbers.

6. The large area of river shingle to the north of Carnsalloch is important for breeding waders and specialist invertebrates. There are some patches of ancient woodland in Kirkmahoe.

Tourism.  Local communities in Dumfriesshire have put much effort into attracting tourists to southern Scotland.  The group which I chair, 'Discover Kirkmahoe', publishes walk leaflets to educate people about the history, natural history and environment of the parish and has been successful in encouraging people to walk more, enhancing wellbeing and interest in the area.  Enormous pylons, which will be visible from every part of the parish will ruin the beauty of this quiet area and certainly deter visitors, with the known detrimental effects to the economy of the area.

Q2.  D. Zone 3: Glenlee to Tongland.  Removal of 130km of existing overhead lines and towers.  Zones 3 & 5.

A2.  Removal of any overhead lines and towers is welcomed, but not if this just means their replacement elsewhere.  In Earshaig forest near Beattock, the 132 Kv line has been buried.  This should be the preferred option for replacing the overhead lines.  Undersea routes would cause least visible blight, but if this is really not possible because of geology, then given the amount of land with little habitation, if new routes are really required, these should be used, rather than using more densely populated areas.  If overhead lines must be used, for genuine reasons, not just because it is a cheaper option, then using existing corridors would cause the least disruption. 

Reasons put forward such as that the new routes are to protect wildlife are simply excuses.  There are dangers to wildlife in every route, and the welfare, needs and wishes of people must surely come first.

Q7.  F. Zone 5: Glenlee to Dumfries – preferred corridor.

A7.  No valid explanation has been put forward by SPEN as to why this is the ‘preferred corridor’.  It passes through the area of the Nith Valley that has large numbers of migratory and other birds, a large heron population, as previously outlined, and has had much local effort expended to improve tourist venues, walks, and to preserve this attractive area that has good views of the Cumbrian Hills.  Currently, it is without steel pylons.  All local distribution lines in this zone are on wooden poles which, whilst not attractive, do not dominate the southern skyline to Criffel in the same way as pylons would.

The corridor is very narrow in places, especially through Kirkmahoe, and when factors such as quarries, major gas pipelines and the River Nith are taken into consideration, no route which will not have a major detrimental impact on the area is apparently possible.

It is suspected that the decision has been taken simply on a cost basis.

The view from above Duncow to the Cumbrian mountains.  We do not want to lose this.

The view across the fields towards the North-west, taken from the Kirkmahoe War Memorial.  We do not want this ruined by monstrous pylons.

Q10.  I.  The substation siting areas.  4. Dumfries (preferred siting area D4)

A10.  Location D4 appears to be a sensible location, but its position suggests a southerly power line solution and NOT one through Zone 5.

Q11.  J.  About the project and consultation.  How did you find out?

A11.  By the 8 x A4 page folding leaflet received by post.

Q12.  How did you find the quantity and detail of information provided?

A12.  Very unsatisfactory because there was no justification or explanation for the preferred route proposed in Zone 5.

Q13.  Is there any way we could improve next time?

A13.  Yes, by giving more information at an earlier stage, encouraging local participation in the decision process and allowing a sensible time frame for responses.  Especially in the holiday season, many people will be unable to respond in a considered way. 

Q14.  K.  Any other comments.

A14.  As stated above, there is no clear justification for pursuing a route through Zone 5. Perhaps the originators failed to appreciate local community interest in their own environment, and hoped the solution would just be accepted.  The Scottish Government’s stated intention to give more choice and power to the people was overlooked.

The serious concerns expressed above, and undoubtedly also raised by many others in Dumfries and Galloway, must be taken into account before this project is taken forward.  A firm basis for preferred routes and sub-station locations must be established, with community agreement, before moving forward to more detail in subsequent phases.

We are looking for volunteers to distribute leaflets etc so if you are interested in helping stop this horror being imposed upon us please email kirkmahoe@gmail.com leaving your details

Say NO to Pylons in our area

Say NO to Pylons in our area

As we are not the only parish to be affected by the plans to install pylons in our area we are looking to possibly join with Dunscore  and Auldgirth to protest against this plan.

A local resident recently went walking at Beattock and noted that the electric lines are buried there. As our area is scenically beautiful we do not want these pylons spoiling this valley. If they must be here they should be underground. But do we want them here at all?

Not only will the value of properties depreciate here, there is also a risk to the many migrating birds, and to the health of those living near to these monstrosities. We have one of the largest , (if not largest) colonies of herons in Scotland. These graceful birds would suffer greatly from such disruption.  Pylons are known to be the cause of tumours in humans.

We would like to garner support  from as many people as possible to stop this ravaging of our beautiful countryside.

Tonight there will be a meeting at The Flying Pig in Dunscore at 7.30 pm where Alan Jones will be giving a talk about how to protest against this proposal.

Alan will also be at Auldgirth CC meeting on Wed 15^th  at 7.30 pm

He has a blog with advice on how to protest 

http://dumgalagainstpylons.org/

Please help stop this happening to our area for the benefit of this, and future generations.

Concert Date for your Diary

Please Diary yourself for 22nd Aug 7.00 pm Looking for a great showing on the day.

Dock Park Summer Events Poster

Dock Park Poster