Call for East Anglian pylon consultation to stop for review

Furious campaigners who have opposed National Grid's East Anglia Green plans for the pylons to carry electricity from offshore wind farms have called for a second public consultation to be stopped. 

The demand follows the announcement of an independent review into the project, which will consider offshore routes, as well as the previously identified path which would see a line of 50m-high pylons run from Dunston, just south of Norwich, down to the Thames Estuary.

But National Grid (NG) bosses have said they will continue with the current proposals while the review is carried out. 

It is being conducted by the Electricity System Operator (ESO), a legally separate part of NG.

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The ESO is currently in the process of becoming an independent public body entirely removed from the rest of the group. 

The proposed route of pylons would be 50m high and run for 180km (Image: Archant A(C) 2011) (Image: Archant A(C) 2011)

Rosie Pearson, founder of the Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons action group, said: “We are far from happy that National Grid has not yet postponed its planned second consultation process. 

“It is crazy that the company plans to go ahead with the second consultation about pylons when its own division is running the review process. 

“NG must delay that second consultation until the review results are known - If not it would appear that the review is not independent in the slightest - and that the pylons decision has already been made.” 

A spokesperson for National Grid said: “We are aware of the ESO’s review and will carefully consider its findings against our proposals. 

“While we await its outcome we are continuing to develop our current proposals in East Anglia.”