Gala North, Scottish Borders - Public Consultation For Proposed Electricity Substation And Overhead Line Diversion

Town & Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended)

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure (Scotland)) Regulations 2013 (as amended)

Notice of Public Consultation Event – Gala North Substation & ZA Overhead Line Diversion

SP Energy Networks is inviting members of the local community and other interested parties to public consultation events about its proposals to construct a new 400/132kV electricity substation.

The proposed Gala North substation would be located on land approximately 1.8km west of Nether Blainslie to the south west of Lauder. The proposed development is a national development in accordance with National Planning Framework 4, which identifies ‘Strategic Renewable Electricity Generation and Transmission Infrastructure’ as a national development.

The consultation is also seeking views on the proposal to divert a section of the existing 400kV overhead line (ZA route) that runs between Cockenzie and Eccles into the proposed substation.

The Gala North ZA Diversion would involve removing part of the existing route and constructing new overhead lines, towers and gantry ‘turn-in’ connections. The diversion would consist of approximately 1.25 km of new overhead line, six towers and two gantries to reinforce this part of the wider electricity transmission network.

Project information is available online at:

www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/gala_north_substation.aspx

The in-person events are planned to be held:

Lauder Public Hall and Blainslie Village Hall

at the following times and dates:

3-7pm Tuesday 9 June

Lauder Public Hall The Avenue, Lauder, TD2 6TD

3-7pm Wednesday 10 June

Blainslie Village Hall 6 The Croft, Galashiels TD1 2QF

Interested parties will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposed substation development and OHL diversion, meet the project team, ask questions and provide consultation feedback.

Interested parties wishing to make comment can do so between 8th June and 10th July 2026 to SP Energy Networks through the following methods:

• Email: info@galanorth.com

• Online form: available at www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/gala_north_substation.aspx

• Post: Gala North, Grayling, 33 Castle Street, Edinburgh, Freepost RUCR-BSLH-JEKY

• Telephone: +44 20 3861 3733

Please note that comments made at these events are not representations to Scottish Borders Council or the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit. When the applications are submitted there will be an opportunity to make representations to Scottish Borders Council for Gala North substation and the Energy Consents Unit for the ZA Diversion as part of the statutory consenting process.