A total of 35 electricity towers are to be removed from Sma' Glen, it has been announced.

Transmission operator, Scottish Hydro Electric (SHE) Transmission, will be responsible for the project.

The £10m Amulree Rationalisation project is being undertaken as part of conditions associated with the Beauly Denny project. It is understood that 8km of overhead power lines are to be permanently replaced with underground cables.

Work on the scheme has now started and is expected to be completed by December 2014, with the steel towers that the cable replaced being dismantled and removed during 2015.

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Currently, there are two electricity transmission lines routed through the Sma' Glen, but when the Amulree and Beauly Denny projects are completed, only one overhead line will be visible – between Amulree and Millrodgie.

Commenting on the project, Mel Chisholm, Scottish Hydro Electric (SHE) Transmission project manager, said: "The Amulree undergrounding project is being carried out as part of the Errochty Rationalisation Scheme as part of the Beauly – Denny transmission line project, and will see the removal of some 8km of steel tower line.

"The installation of the replacement cable section is a technically challenging project that has taken several years to plan. Although our teams will be working on undulating terrain and under some difficult conditions, we are confident that our plans and timescales are achievable."

Councillor Alan Grant, Convenor of Perth and Kinross Council’s Environment Committee, added: "This project is a huge undertaking which I hope will bring a number of benefits to the local area and residents, one of which will be improving the scenic beauty of the area."

(JP/MH)