Press release about National Grid's preferred pylon route from the Groton Pylon Alliance

I circulated blog readers in Little and Great Waldingfield on the day of the announcement with regard to National Grid's decision on the route for the new line of pylons across Suffolk.

I now publish below the press release I have just received from the campaigning group, The Groton Pylon Alliance.

The bottom line is that the edge of Great and Little Waldingfield have been spared from these blots on the landscape.

'As many in south Suffolk will now be aware, National Grid announced on 12^th July that it is proposing to build a new overhead power line from Bramford to Twinstead along Corridor 2. This option involves the taking down of the 132,000 volt line from Burstall Bridge to Twinstead Tee and building a new 400,000 volt line in its place.

The Groton Pylon Alliance welcomes the news that the unspoilt landscape and environment of south Suffolk will not be blighted by the introduction of new power lines and pylons where none currently exist. However, as the GPA has consistently stated, it calls on National Grid to embrace new technologies and underground as much of the new route as possible. In this respect the GPA is pleased to see that National Grid have announced that they “will be giving detailed consideration to areas where placing cables underground would be appropriate”.

In the coming weeks, the GPA will be reviewing National Grid’s “Feedback Report on Stage 1 Consultation” in detail with its advisers and also contacting other campaign groups to explore ways in which the GPA can assist them in Stage 2 of National Grid’s process.

The GPA also intends to remain vigilant and keep a watching brief with other local groups over the coming years to meet any future threats to the landscape and environment of south Suffolk.

Finally, the GPA would like to thank the many hundreds of people across south Suffolk and beyond who have supported its campaign over the last two years and who have together put in a tremendous amount of work to protect our countryside.'

 Notes: The GPA is a conservation group formally representing the interests of 19 villages in south Suffolk in relation to National Grid’s proposed infrastructure project for a new 400kV overhead power line from Bramford near Ipswich to Twinstead near Sudbury. The GPA includes the villages of Groton, Kersey, Boxford, Edwardstone, Aldham, Milden, Chelsworth, Whatfield, Semer, Lindsey, Little Waldingfield, Elmsett, Nedging-with-Naughton, Monks Eleigh, Great Waldingfield, Bildeston, Lavenham, Flowton and Brent Eleigh.