EHG4644 - DBA and Walkover Survey - Proposed Power Transmission Cable from Grabhair, Isle of Lewis, to Dundonnell, Little Loch Broom, to Beauly

A DBA and walkover survey were carried out by SSE in October 2008, as part of an environmental assessment for the construction of an undersea power transmission cable between the mainland and the Western Isles. <1> An additional ES report was issued which covered the specific implications for the construction of the Beauly Converter Station which used the results of the original walkover survey and no further walkover survey was carried out. Two cultural heritage features were recorded within the proposed converter station site. The first was the extensive area of prehistoric remains that have been identified within Balblair Wood. Of these features the following elements were noted as being present within the proposed area: one definite and three possible hutcircles and three probably clearance cairns. The second cultural heritage feature comprises two sections of a bank which are likely to be parts of the boundary of the Balblair plantation which dated to c. 1750. The construction of the access road serving the extension would remove the definite hut circle, one of the possible hut circles, clearance cairns and one part of the plantation bank. <2>