North East Lincolnshire Council it will be backing a campaign against National Grid proposals to build a new overhead electricity line between and Walpole in Norfolk.
Under the plans, power would be transported from offshore wind farms in Grimsby to Walpole via a network of new substations and pylons being erected over 87 miles. It would the largest overhaul of the grid for generations.
The plans have been met with anger and frustration by residents across Lincolnshire, but especially in Grimsby, with many voicing concerns about the potential loss of countryside, agriculture and natural habitats after it emerged that the route would cut through areas of farming land and green spaces in Lincolnshire. Instead, campaigners have called for the cables to be buried underground or offshore.
Whilst North East Lincolnshire Council has welcomed the upgrading of the electricity transmission infrastructure, it has confirmed that it will be objecting to the scheme due to concerns about the visual and environmental impact.
According to Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Councillor Philip Jackson, opposition to the scheme is growing by the day. The Council says it will be making a formal objection to the plans, will be encouraging others to do the same, and will request that National Grid Electricity Transmission place any new transmission line within the North East Lincolnshire boundary underground and/or re-route it so that it is subsea. The authority will also take the following actions:
- – Writing to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to robustly express the views within this Motion on Notice and request the support of our two MPs in this matter; urging them to lobby as appropriate at Government level and to liaise closely with the parliamentary ‘Off Shore Electricity Grid Task Force’.
- – Publicly supporting the call made by Victoria Atkins MP and others for an independent review of offshore options for the Lincolnshire East Coast.
- – Working closely with Lincolnshire County Council to ascertain the feasibility of being included in the independent review of the impact of the scheme that they are in the process of commissioning, and fully support them in their intention to “take legal action to challenge the reasoning that this infrastructure is the best solution if necessary”.
- – Urging the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside to study carefully the objection formally submitted by his counterpart for Lincolnshire due to the serious risk to the operation of emergency services and provide a public statement in due course.
Councillor Philip Jackson said: “Opposition to this huge scheme is growing by the day. Whilst the council welcomes the need for an electricity upgrade we are extremely concerned about the impact of these overhead powerlines to our communities and the environment.
“We are supporting our neighbouring authorities in opposing this scheme and we ask local people not to sit back and let this pass without making their individual and collective views known. This scheme will change our local landscape for generations to come and we believe that National Grid must urgently review its proposals.
“If it is needed, we fully support Lincolnshire County Council’s intention to take legal action to challenge the reasoning that this infrastructure is the best solution.”
