A Suffolk councillor has called for a 'complete reset of approach' to the delivery of offshore wind power that protects the county's villages and countryside.
East Suffolk councillor Tom Daly has tabled a motion for the council's meeting on Wednesday calling for the creation of a national offshore grid to feed electric directly to areas of high demand instead of bringing cables ashore to feed to rural substations.
Campaigners have been fighting the plans to use onshore power lines and pylons to bring electricity from the East Anglia ONE and TWO wind farms because of the impact on the rural environment.
In particular, concerns have been raised about a new 30 acre substation at Friston proposed by ScottishPower Renewables and plans to route pylons along 180 miles of the Essex and Suffolk border.
As part of the motion, Cllr Daly said: "It would be more efficient for our communities, the environment, producers and consumers if a national offshore grid was established to connect everything to an area of high demand like London, rather than Suffolk which is a net producer."
The motion proposes a resolution that the council writes to business secretary Grant Shapps and energy and climate minister Graham Stuart calling for a review of offshore options.
A 'change of approach that protects the rural integrity of our villages and countryside now and into the future' is also called for.
Campaigners from Essex Suffolk Norfolk pylons have also slammed Mr Stuart after he said a review of pylon contracts was 'not the best approach'.
The group has also called for an offshore grid using subsea cables to prevent the construction of 50-metre-high pylons.
Campaigner Rosie Pearson said: "Tens of thousands of people across East Anglia are sick of hearing nothing can be done. It is not too late. This government is barely paying lip service to the need for an offshore strategy in the North Sea."
She said state policy on the transmission of power generated offshore was an 'abject failure' and coastlines and the countryside would become 'unrecognisable' as land was given to substations and converter stations, some measuring 30m high.
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