National Grid
are planning
a line of 50-metre-high
electricity pylons
from Bramford to Twinstead
National Grid have proposed four possible
"route corridors" for these pylons
two of
which run through Polstead
Parish
following
the line of the existing pylons
Details
here
To Get Straight to the
Point:
What Can We Do?
What
Can We Say?
Where Are We Now?
The National Grid Proposal (planning
application) for the pylons will be one of the first
to be subject to the new process administered
by the
Infrastructure Planning
Commission
(IPC). There
are
six 'steps'
in this process, and we are
currently in the first of these -
'Pre-application', which ends on 28th February
2010.
In 'Pre-application', National Grid (after initial discussions
with the IPC to check what is required) are seeking the views,
'Consulting', with interested parties - both
Statutory
Consultees, including Suffolk County Council, Babergh
District Council, Polstead Parish Council - and others
(including us) - in order that they may demonstrate to the IPC that
they have 'Consulted' effectively when
the Proposal for their chosen route corridor enters the next
IPC step in "Spring 2010": the 28-day 'Acceptance by the
IPC'.
Full details of the National Grid
consultation exercise
If the National Grid Proposal is accepted by the IPC, National Grid
will spend the next year to "Summer 2011" on planning the
exact route within the chosen corridor.
After National Grid submit their Proposal to the
IPC:
"Following the selection of a preferred route corridor,
detailed consideration will be given to possible alignments for
overhead lines, and tower locations within the preferred
corridor.
The potential justification for certain sections of transmission
line to be undergrounded will also be considered, in accordance
with National Grid's policy, when detailed route alignments are
being developed.
The detailed alignments will be subject to an environmental impact
assessment and further public consultation. The refinement of a
proposed alignment will emerge as part of this consultation
process. The proposal will then be finalised and a submission made
to the Infrastructure Planning Commission in Summer 2011, seeking
consent for the connection and associated development."
National Grid
document
The IPC Process:
"Once an
application has been accepted as valid by the IPC, the applicant
must publicise this, and the public will have a further opportunity
to express their views by making written representations to the
IPC. The IPC will make all representations public and allow
interested parties the opportunity to comment on
them.
There will also be
hearings, held in public, at which the evidence will be examined by
the Commissioner who will chair the meeting. The principal approach
to testing the evidence will be inquisitorial – the Commissioner
will put questions to the applicant and others. The Commissioner
will ensure that the evidence is properly considered, allowing
cross-examination when appropriate, and will make sure that
everyone has fair opportunities to make their views known and
influence the outcome.
There will always be an
opportunity for a public open-floor hearing."
IPC document
What Can We
Do?
1. Complete the National Grid feedback form
available
online
here -
or email
bramford-twinstead@uk.ngrid.com
2. Telephone or email our Parish, District
and County Councillors. As Statutory Consultees, the
Councils have to respond to the National Grid Proposal by 28th
February 2010:
| Polstead Parish
Council |
Dave
Crimmin |
01787
375085 |
email |
| Babergh District
Councillor |
Sue
Wigglesworth |
01787
210029 |
email |
| Suffolk County
Councillor |
David
Yorke-Edwards |
01473
310176 |
email |
Polstead Parish
Council is actively seeking your
views - this
information leaflet was
delivered in January to all households in Polstead.
Polstead Parish Council discussed their response
to the National Grid Proposal at the Parish Council meeting on
Thursday 18th February. Details available
soon.
The Babergh District Council response was decided
by the Strategy Committee meeting on
11th February.
Babergh District Council Response
The Suffolk County Council response was amended
and passed at the Cabinet meeting on 2nd
February. The response was voted on by the Full County Council
at the meeting on 18th
February.
Amended Response (Note paragraph 2. k)
At the Suffolk County Council Cabinet meeting,
and also at the full Council meeting, our County Councillor,
David Yorke-Edwards, stated firmly that all four of the pylon route
corridors proposed by National Grid were completely unacceptable -
and that National Grid should fully explore the undersea grid
option.
And then voted for corridor 2 -
Straight Through Polstead.
Bury Not Blight Comment on the Suffolk County Council
Response
Bury
Not Blight Response
Dedham Vale AONB & Stour Valley Project
Response
3. Contact Other Organisations
Dedham
Vale AONB & Stour Valley Project
Dedham Vale Society
Suffolk Preservation
Society
Choose Suffolk
What Can We Say?
The National Grid "Route Corridor options" are outlined
here -
and in more detail in Table 8.1, page 53, and Chapter 8, page
43,
here
.
Suffolk County Council have chosen corridor 2,
through Polstead. (Corridor 2
requires the building of a new substation at
Twinstead)
Babergh District Council
have chosen corridor 2, through
Polstead. (Corridor 2 requires the
building of a new substation at
Twinstead)
The
Groton Pylon Alliance
"vigorously objecting to the proposals for corridors
3 and 4" has decided that corridor 2, through Polstead, is "the
least worst solution" - "undergrounding as much of
the chosen route as possible". (Corridor
2 requires the building of a new
substation at Twinstead)
The
Stour
Valley Underground "are objecting to ALL
corridor options and believe that a better long term solution to
get the power to where it is needed is to construct an undersea
link between Sizewell and London. This solution should form part of
a larger UK grid distributing High Voltage power around the UK and
up tidal estuaries, with the lower voltage distributed
underground."
An Update
for the people of Polstead
Hintlesham & Chattisham Parish
Council support
Undergrounding.
Bury Not Blight
(
email) strongly support
Undergrounding - and advocate Corridor 4 on the
grounds that it affects far fewer people and properties, and
does not require a substation at
Twinstead.
The
Dedham Vale Society
supports Undergrounding
Our Member of Parliament, Tim Yeo, has decided
that Corridor 2, through Polstead, should be the route,
Underground (if possible). (Corridor
2 requires the building of a new
substation at Twinstead)
Tim's emails are
here
- along with replies from enraged
constituents.
| Member of
Parliament |
Tim
Yeo |
01473
730674 |
email |
Health Protection Agency & ElectroMagnetic
Fields
A review of the Health Aspects, with links is
here
Hinkley Point C campaign
group
Save Our
Valley
Stirling Before Pylons
links
A list of points suggested by the pressure
groups mentioned above can be obtained by emailing:
polsteadwebsite@50mail.com
If we are reluctant to choose one route
corridor over another -
the one thing we can support is
Undergrounding, Undergrounding,
Undergrounding
Contacts:
| Polstead Parish
Council |
Dave
Crimmin |
01787
375085 |
email |
| Babergh District
Councillor |
Sue
Wigglesworth |
01787
210029 |
email |
| Suffolk County
Councillor |
David
Yorke-Edwards |
01473
310176 |
email |
| Member of
Parliament |
Tim
Yeo |
01473
730674 |
email |