Drivers on the North Coast 500 (NC500) are facing an 80-mile diversion due to a planned partial closure of the A832 in the north-west Highlands. The closure, managed by SSEN Transmission, is part of a major electricity upgrade to bring renewable energy from the Western Isles ashore at Dundonnell.
The project involves installing an underground cable between Dundonnell and Beauly to feed renewable power into the National Grid. A three-mile stretch of the A832 will be closed for 14 hours daily, from 7am to 9pm, in two blocks: from October 27 to mid-December, and again from January to March 2026. SSEN has proposed three daily 'amnesty' periods when the road will be open: 8am–8.45am, 12.30pm–1.30pm, and 4.30pm–5.30pm.
Local residents and businesses have launched a petition against the closure, warning of severe impacts on the community. Trish Stevens, owner of the Dundonnell Hotel, said the works could threaten her business's survival. 'It could mean the difference between us actually surviving or not,' she told the BBC. 'Local people are feeling that they are being ignored.'
Lisa Stewart, a resident of nearby Badcaul, said the limited opening hours would leave the community 'worried and anxious' about accessing medical appointments. 'This is already a fragile community and isolated, and this will make it more so,' she added. SNP MSP Maree Todd called for a 'rethink', noting that the proposed diversion covers higher ground that could be badly affected by winter conditions.
SSEN Transmission project director Niall MacLeod acknowledged the challenges, citing 'terrain, topography and space constraints' along the A832. He said the company is 'actively seeking solutions' to minimise disruption and has already rerouted the cable away from the road where possible, reducing the affected road length by 50km. 'We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback,' he added.
