MP calls for pylon route to go underground

The MP for North Shropshire has said that the company behind plans to build a pylon route through the county should consider building it underground.

The Vyrnwy Frankton Project, proposed by energy company Green Gen Cymru, would see a 31-mile line of pylons running from Powys to a new substation near Lower Frankton in Shropshire.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat, said local communities would be affected both visually and by noise.

Green GEN Cymru said engagement with the community was key as the matter progressed, adding it was holding statutory public consultation from 19 February to 16 April.

"We'll be asking people to give us their feedback so we can continue to look at ways to keep effects as low as we can," said Sen Taylor, project manager.

"We know that people can have concerns about new infrastructure so it's important people take part if there are factors they want us to consider.

"We're committed to developing our proposals in a way that seeks to balance the effects on those who live and work close to our proposals, with the policy and technical requirements we must also meet."

Ms Morgan said: "Obviously there's a visual impact - in some instances it goes really close to people's houses... and potentially a noise impact for them as well, because we all know [pylons] hum a little bit in humid weather.

"I would argue that where you have pylons running very close to people's houses they should be [placed underground].

"We underground those bits of infrastructure in areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks, and companies still go ahead with those projects, they must still be profitable and I would like to see that approach in north Shropshire."

She added that she also believed the pylons could have an adverse impact on the value of residents' houses.

The company said the consultation, which included several community events to be held in local village halls, would show the designs in more detail, and that the design would be open to change.

"This will be a statutory consultation and is likely to be the last route consultation, before Green GEN Cymru applies for planning consent," it added.

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