Tessa Munt MP, has gained a 10-minute Rule Motion to discuss overhead pylons on Tuesday 5th July: Story HERE July 2011

The NPS' have been published, in summary they state that 'overhead' is not always the correct solution, the misrepresentative statements about the cost to underground have been removed and finally it states that the Holford rules must be followed: Story HERE June 2011

The KEMA IET report has completed, but does not reach a suitable conclusion: Story HERE June 2011

NG have extended the deadline for their Undergrounding Consultation: Story HERE June 2011

RIBA have launched a pylon design competition: Story HERE May 2011. Please click HERE to see our entry (Technical note, it is a Gas Insulated Line (GIL) and is buried about 6ft below ground)

George Monbiot's editorial about Wind Farms and Pylons. Story HERE 31/5/11

The Welsh are revolting... story HERE May 2011.

Respone in The Times From Charles Hendry MP to the below articles: story HERE 07/04/2011.

Article in The Times: "Way clear for Pylons to blot the landscape: "...Some of Britain's best-loved landscapes face being blighted by lines of giant electricity pylons after a Government decision to weaken guidelines..." story HERE 02/04/2011.

Artile in The Times. Britian's tsunami: 'It will happen at some point: "...an earthquake off Portugal is still just one of several potential triggers for future tsunamis - perhaps the most insidious of which is a lanslide in the Irish Sea...". Full story HERE. 17/03/2011.

FEBRUARY 2011:

*Alternatives to overhead lines
The Institution of Engineering and Technology, along with consultancy Kema, is carrying out a comprehensive study into the costs of new high-voltage power cables. This is looking at the economics of new overhead lines against the costs of undergrounding or laying cables around the coast. The report was originally due at the end of this month but has been delayed. A recent report by the body representing European transmission system operators estimated that partially burying 400kV lines costs between three and ten times more than overhead towers.
National Grid is currently reviewing its undergrounding policy.

by Roger Milne
Source: Utility Week

JANUARY 2011:

* The Department of Energy & climate Change (DECC) - have requested further feedback to their proposed National Policy Statements. This has only arisen as a result of your recent responses which has highlighted to them the thoughts of the people in the Somerset Levels. Please forward a further response to reinforce your views.

(A recent meeting chaired by Planning Aid was held on the 12th January 2011 at Sedgemoor District Council where DECC attended to discuss the current status of the discussion on the NPS's, this meeting was attended by all of the action groups, the local councilor's, the district council and our MP, Tessa Munt. This was an excellent meeting which highlighted the views of the public to DECC on the inadeqaucies of the outdated, in our opinion, Holford Rules in the Somerset Levels and the lack of focus on new and available technology out there).

Below are responses to the DECC consulation process. EN1 is HERE from Cllr Peter Gregory on behalf of MPC, and EN5 HERE from Dr M Gregory.

These responses highlight the joint concerns over the proposed National Policy Statements, rembering that these proposed policies are going to be 'our' polices and will remain unchanged unless we respond to them.

* Skanska announce tunnel contract from National Grid for 33km of cable tunnel for £92m:
Skanska announes that it has received a contract valued at £92 million from Costain and will work with them on a scheme to construct around 33km of cable tunnels for National Grid through the heart of London...Works will start this year, with the tunnelling being completed by the end of 2014... See release HERE.

December 2010:

* National Grid announces a new Public Consultation into its approach to Undergrounding:
National Grid, on the 15th December 2010, have announced that it is launching a Public Consultation into its approach to undergrounding electricity lines http://www.nationalgridundergrounding.com/

This is a huge step forward and comes as a result of your huge response to the last consultation.  It shows that all the letter writing and campaigning by individuals can make a real difference.

Now we need your help again please. To make a difference please submit your comments on line via the National Grid  online form, found HERE (you will need to register online beforehand). We will be raising the issue about our friends, family and colleagues who do not have internet access in our rural location and will report the response shortly.

Response by Planning Resource and CPRE

November 2010:

* Independent investigation on underground costs launched by Government:

The Government has caved into public pressure and announced an independent enquiry into the costs of underground and undersea electricity transmission. (www.energynpsconsultation.decc.gov.uk/docs/GovernmentResponsetoConsultation-October2010.pdf). 

Campaigners have welcomed the news that National Grid are to get an independent assessment of the cost of alternative methods to pylons to transmit electricity. This will include undersea, underground as well as overhead pylons.

* Costain have won a contract from NG to install a 32km long tunnel under Croydon at a cost of only £80m (NB this excludes the physical cable cost). Details can be seen HERE.

We were drawn to the following statement which is what we have been trying to advise NG is available when using underground tunnels -"Placing the cable in a tunnel deep underground means National Grid will be able to conduct routine checks and maintenance without the need for road excavations. Additionally should the need arise in the future a second cable can be installed with minimum inconvenience."(http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Media+Centre/PressReleases/2010/Croydon+10.11.10.htm date accessed 17/11/10)

A seperate issue which is of concern to the giant pylons is bird strikes. This has not had much coverage latley, but recent research seems to indicate that power lines may be 'invisible' to birds. See here for more details of the early research into this area. This is a real concern due to the large number of valuable birds which winter here.

October 2010:

* NG delay the route corridor announcment.

NG have delayed the route corridor announcement. The much awaited Community Forums are slowly coming to fruition.

* Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) continue to oppose National Grids flawed consultation process.

The below is an excerpt from the SDC response to National Grid.

"The Council resolved at its meeting of 26 July to submit an additional, interim response to the National Grid which makes clear that the Council strongly believes:
- That it would be premature to move to Stage 2 consultation and the selection of a preferred route corridor in advance of more detailed analysis of options”
and
- The subsea route and other strategic alternatives need to remain open as options”.

Full response can be found HERE

* IPC suggest National Grid should start again with a "clean sheet" following a meeting on the 5th July 2010.

National Grid met with the IPC in July to get feedback on their consultation process. The IPC made very clear they cannot offer direct comment or advise National Grid how to proceed. However they did suggest that National Grid might find it helpful to start again with  a clean sheet of paper and look afresh at situations without being encumbered by what has gone before.

In the view of No Moor Pylons the IPC could not have given a stronger signal that the current Natioanl Grid process is flawed. The IPC also reflected the view of community groups such as No Moor Pylons that the optioneering done by National Grid is skewed to emphasis technical and economics in Stage 1.

The IPC reflected on the balance that is needed to ensure an equitable and balanced comparison of the options across technical, environmental, social and economic considerations.

Minutes from this meeting can be found HERE

* NG has begun making steps to form 'Community Forum Groups'.

NG have approached Planning Aid to help set up a 'Community Forum' to discuss the route alignment of the pylons (once the route has been chosen in late autumn).

A meeting held about the proposed Community Forum at the Webbington Hotel in July was met with negativity from the audience. It would appear that NG are only going to consult on their 'preferred' routes and not what the public would like to see consulted on.

Mark Parish Council (amongst others) have responded directly to NG about their views of the 'Community Forums'. Full reply HERE

* Wraxall & Failand Parish Council have forwarded their latest response to NG.

Chris Ambrose and Hugh Pratt have prepared an extensive and exhaustive addendum to their initial report countering NG's dogmatic view that overhead lines is the only available option to transfer power from Hinckley to Sea Bank.

See the excellent report and findings HERE

Article in the Mail on Sunday by Valerie Elliot about the potential march of the Super-Pylons across the landscape. Full story from the Mail HERE 06/02/11

'Put Power Lines underground' 2nd Feb 2011 Utility Week article about the power transmission proposals. Full story from Utility Week HERE 02/02/11

News from NG about an undersea power cable link from one coastal location to another coastal location. Full story from SP Transmission HERE Feb 11

2010:

National Grid says rising electricity demand necessitates the expansion — there has to be a better way. Full Story here at the Sunday Times here 20/06/10

"Britain’s most beautiful landscapes are under threat from a new wave of high-voltage pylons to be announced by the National Grid, conservationists warned yesterday." Full story at the Telegraph here 21/06/10

More pylons are the Orwellian downside to the low-carbon future. And this is just the beginning. Full Story here at the Sunday Times here 22/05/10

"National Grid has said it still favours building electricity pylons across the Somerset countryside, despite opposition.Project manager David Mercer said all the options had been looked at very carefully. "We believe on balance a power line is the right solution here but we are prepared to continue to engage with communities and listen to their point of view," he said." Full story on the BBC here

"One thing Britain does not need is more pylons. There are already legions of the metallic monsters stomping across our fields and hills — 22,000 of them in total — and 550 of these have colonised some of the loveliest countryside in Britain: across the Peak District; through the New Forest and the South Downs; along the North Wales coast. We should be dismantling these lines, as suggested by the excellent Campaign to Protect Rural England. We should be pulling down the pylons and running the cables underground or under the sea. But instead National Grid, supported by the government, is making plans to put up even more: another 12 new buzzing, high-voltage lines supported by hundreds more pylons looming over another 170 miles of England and Wales. Our landscape is our heritage. This government may not appreciate it, but future generations will. We owe it to them to preserve what beauty remains."

Click here to read Griff's thoughts on Giant Pylons in Suffolk. The Times 05/02/10

Terrence Blacker writes in about a 'land despoiled by pylons'. The Independent 05/02/10

Click here to watch Griff being interviewed by the BBC. 25/02/10

Bill Bryson said it was "crazy" to be building more pylons, rather than investing in green energy. CPRE 25/03/09

Charlie Brooks, 'by burying electric cables we could create hundreds of rural jobs'. The Telegraph 26/02/10

Carol Voderman is supporting the Save Our Valley campaign in North Somerset. The Independent 01/12/09

And an article from the Chief Executive of National Grid, Steven Holliday in the Independant where he advises that it is a "...no-brainer..." to install an undersea electricity grid.

Steven Holliday explains in his interview to The Independent that underwater cables are a 'No Brainer' 23/07/09

Our Local MP's have all been very active and helpful with regard to National Grid's proposals. Dr Liam Fox MP managed to gain an adjourment hearing and quizzed Mr Kidney. "...the choice between being hanged and being beheaded does not boil down to much of a choice at all...." HC Deb Dr Liam Fox MP 19/01/10 Click to watch the whole debate again.

Tessa Munt MP, has been campaigning against National Grid's inadequate consultation with local residents on its hugely unpopular proposals to erect huge pylons right across the Somerset countryside

David Heathcoat-Amory is keen to pursue putting cables underwater from Hinkley Point to Seabank in Avonmouth Mr Heathcoat-Amory also said: "The government is at least now aware of the matter and I will be following this up with other questions and interventions."

IPC host meeting between NG and the protest groups 18th May 2010:

Protestors attend the IPC's meeting with NG on the 18th May 2010. NG present their reasons why pylons they believe that pylons are the only way to transport the electricity around the country instead of adopting modern methods.

NG begin the PR blitz with the Parish Councils May 2010:

Shadow Secretary of State Visits Proposed Pylon Site. 28th April 2010:

"Shadow Secretary of State Greg Clark today visited the location of the proposed giant pylons which National Grid want to build to connect Bridgwater and Avonmouth.  He was accompanied by David Heathcoat-Amory who has been campaigning nationally in parliament along with Paul Hipwell, Chair of No-Moor-Pylons. David Heathcoat-Amory said “I am pleased that the man who will make the decision can see the environmental case for himself and the argument for a submarine cable option, or at least putting the cables underground.” Click here for full story from burnhamonsea.com

Mendip Times April 2010:

"Plans to run a line of pylons through the Mendips have sparked widespread protests. Here, Tarnock resident Alison Nicole Bullett explains the concerns. View full article in the Mendip Times.

SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL condemn NG's Public Consultation as 'inadequate', March 2010:

“Somerset County Council is the latest, and biggest, authority to condemn the consultation process for the line which would see 160ft high pylons carrying power 37 miles from a new Hinkley Point power station to a sub station at Avonmouth, near Bristol.

“A full meeting of the county council this week condemned the first round of consultation as being “fundamentally flawed”. “The council is calling on the Secretary of State for Climate Change, the Infrastructure Planning Committee, and National Grid to ensure that a new and “fully informed” consultation takes place before any decision on the route is made, and before detailed proposals are submitted to the IPC.

“A motion proposed by county council Liberal Democrat group leader Jill Shortland, and seconded by environment portfolio holder Anthony Trollope-Bellew, said the proposals were also premature because consultations on national energy infrastructure policy is not yet complete.”

Full story reported by thisissomerset.co.uk here.

SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL full meeting 17/02/2010

.....

No-Moor-Pylons, along with other Pylon groups, petitioned Somerset County Council (SCC) on the 17/02/2010, and gained confirmation from SCC that they believe, as Statutory Consultees, that the Public Consultation from National Grid under the new Planning Act 2008 has not been adequate.

Further confirmation that National Grid are not spending our collective money (and that of their shareholders) correctly. Cllr David Huxtable went further and said: “...I think we are all agreed that the [public] consultation is a bit of a sham...".

Cheddar Valley Gazette 11/02/2010 "if we are happy to bury wires in the plaster of our houses, why not bury electricity cables..." Paul Hipwell 11/02/2010

Local Blackford Theatre group 'poke fun' at National Grid's intention to install pylons across the Somerset Levels as recorded by the Cheddar Valley Gazette on the 11/02/2010

No-Pylons-Loxton organised a March from Christon to Loxton on Saturday 30th January 2010. Nearly 350 people attended with representations from David Heathcoat-Amory MP, John Penrose MP, BBC, HTV, along with the Bristol Evening Post. A helicopter flew at 46.5m above the ground along the proposed route in the Loxton gap to show the true height of the proposed pylons in relation to Crook Peak and the existing 132kv line. See Burnham-on-Sea article HERE

....