Beauly to Loch Buidhe Ecology Services

Project Snapshot

Client: Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN)

‍Location: Northern Scotland

‍Sector: Infrastructure Ecology

‍Duration: Ongoing (2–3 year programme)

‍Services: Ecological Advisory, ECoW, Protected Species Licensing, Habitat Mitigation & Compliance

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Project Overview

Euroforest was appointed by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) to provide ecological advisory and compliance services for the Beauly to Loch Buidhe overhead line ground investigation works in Northern Scotland. The project spans approximately 192 km of transmission corridor, incorporating 232 ground investigation locations across a wide range of environmentally sensitive habitats.

Working alongside the client and key stakeholders, our ecology team is helping to ensure the project progresses safely and efficiently while protecting wildlife and meeting all environmental obligations.

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The Challenge

The transmission corridor passes through diverse habitats, including ancient woodland, blanket bog, heathland, riparian corridors and semi-natural grassland. These environments support numerous protected species, including bats, badgers, great crested newts, pine martens, otters, reptiles and Schedule 1 breeding birds.

Delivering ecological compliance across such a large area required careful planning, ongoing liaison with NatureScot and landowners, and a robust approach to managing ecological risks without delaying the wider infrastructure programme.

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Our Approach

Euroforest developed a comprehensive ecological compliance framework tailored to the project, combining experienced Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) support with practical site management procedures.

Our team:

• Delivered on-site ecological supervision throughout clearance works.
• Produced and implemented a bespoke Species Protection Plan (SPP).
• Developed an Ecological and Arboricultural Permit (EAP) system to ensure all ecological requirements were assessed before works commenced.
• Secured and managed NatureScot licences for protected species.
• Carried out habitat mitigation, protected species management and invasive non-native species (INNS) control across the corridor.

This structured approach enabled ecological requirements to be integrated seamlessly into day-to-day operations while maintaining full regulatory compliance.

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The Outcome

The project continues to progress successfully, with ecological constraints managed alongside programme delivery.

Key outcomes include:

• 192 km transmission corridor supported.
• 232 ground investigation locations managed.
• Zero licence breaches recorded throughout the programme.
• Successful delivery of protected species mitigation and ecological compliance.
• Strong collaborative relationships maintained with SSEN, NatureScot and other stakeholders.

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Delivering infrastructure in harmony with nature.

Our experienced ecology team works alongside clients to deliver practical, compliant environmental solutions that protect biodiversity while keeping projects moving.