Wires go underground in Braehead

Pylons and wires will soon be a thing of the past in Braehead

Pylons and overhead wires are to disappear from the Braehead skyline in a £4m regeneration programme to move the power lines underground.

Work begins this July on the largest "over-to-underground" project carried out in Scotland for many years.

Early in 2007, underground pipelines and new wires will be installed, with the pylons being pulled down in summer.

Capital Shopping Centres, the company which runs the Braehead shopping centre, is funding the project.

Development directo Richard Cable said he was delighted that the work was about to start, adding that it would bring "major benefits" to the area's residents, businesses and visitors.

Development plans

"It marks another milestone in our overall plan to regenerate the area and bring significant new investment to Renfrewshire," he said.

The pylons currently run across a stretch of land which is to be used for 2,000 new homes - a key part in development plans for the Renfrew Riverside area.

The success of Braehead shopping centre, now attracting about 20 million visitors a year, has been a spur to other projects.

New leisure facilities like Xscape, home to Scotland's only real snow indoor ski slope, are already open.

A new business park is also planned.