MP says battle against proposed pylon route through Suffolk countryside is ‘90 per cent’ won, with revisions to plans expected

A ‘massive breakthrough’ has been achieved in the fight against contentious pylon proposals, according to an MP, who says it is “90 per cent certain” the plans will now be revised.

Sir Bernard Jenkin applauded the efforts of thousands of people over the last two years, after sharing a major update on the status of a proposed pylon line from Norwich to Tilbury, via the Suffolk countryside.

National Grid has previously insisted the scheme is necessary to transmit energy generated at offshore wind farms – but opponents have argued an integrated offshore network would be cheaper and more effective.

Mr Jenkin, who is part of a group of MPs known as Offset (Offshore Electricity Transmission), met government minister Andrew Bowie last week to discuss funding to explore the potential of offshore co-ordination.

Following the meeting, he confirmed that the planned offshore infrastructure – namely the North Falls, Five Estuaries and Sea Link options – now appear to be preferred to the existing proposals.

“I am advised that this will be cheaper, involve far less mileage of cable, and fewer transformers,” said Mr Jenkin.

“This saves Dedham Vale and the whole area from what would otherwise be a complete catastrophe, from a conservation point of view. Pylons are a terrible blight and undergrounding of cables is incredibly destructive of nature and archaeological sites.

“It is a massive breakthrough, at least for this area. It also throws the rest of Norwich to Tilbury in doubt, and the letter from Minister Bowie confirms that the whole of Norwich to Tilbury will be re-evaluated.”

Mr Jenkin stated that, for the last two years, the battle against the inland pylon scheme in East Anglia had been “extraordinarily frustrating”, and that, at times, it felt like nobody would listen to what campaigners were saying.

However, he believes this latest development could be a “national turning point” in the attitudes towards overhead power lines.

“Those trying to force through the plan could simply not avoid the arguments,” he added.

“I am pleased that National Grid, ESO and the Government feel they can take a more enlightened, strategic approach, but this would not be happening now were it not for the campaign we have mounted.”