Public meeting to discuss National Grid proposals

A public meeting is being organised to discuss National Grid’s proposals that could see power lines being carried through Shropshire.

National Grid has announced that electricity cables connecting wind farms in Mid Wales to the electricity network are set to pass through Shropshire, from a new substation at Cefn Coch in Powys to join the existing 400kv network at Lower Frankton.

Under this proposal, power lines would enter Shropshire just south of Pant, and cross through a small part of the Shropshire Council area to Lower Frankton.

A public meeting is being organised by the council leader, Keith Barrow, on 28 September to discuss the plans.  The meeting will take place at The Venue, Park Hall, Oswestry, at 6pm.

Councillor Barrow said:

“National Grid has identified a route corridor through Shropshire as its preferred option and indicated that a combination of both overhead lines and underground cables is likely to be used. However, I know that local people do not want to see pylons and overhead cables crossing the county, and nor do I.  That’s why I think it’s important to call a public meeting so we can discuss what these plans could mean for the local area.

“I am strongly opposed to any plans that would see pylons springing up across large areas of the county’s countryside because of the negative impact this would have on the landscape, on local communities, and on the county’s economy.

“Shropshire is a rural county and our countryside attracts many thousands of people to the county every year, with these visitors making a significant contribution to the county’s tourism industry.

“Pylons would not only be a blot on the landscape, they would deter people from visiting Shropshire and spending money in our local shops, pubs, restaurants, visitor attractions, and with accommodation providers.

“I will be making National Grid aware of my personal response to their proposals, and doing all I can to encourage them to place the cables underground. I urge all local people to do the same.

“And I fully support a campaign against pylons that has been launched by the four Shropshire Councillors who represent the areas on the preferred route.”

In its official response to National Grid’s public consultation in June 2011, Shropshire Council recognised that National Grid is required to connect new wind farms to the network but said that the council would object to any overhead line solution, which it considered to be significantly detrimental to the county’s visitor economy.

Once National Grid’s planning application is ready, it will be submitted to the National Infrastructure Directorate and Shropshire Council will be invited to submit its formal response to the application, as a statutory consultee.