Pylon campaigners have called for a meeting with a Government minister and welcomed the 'fantastic' news that a former home secretary has called for cables to be routed under the sea instead.
Rosie Pearson, head of Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons, has asked to meet energy minister Andrew Bowie when he visits East Anglia next week as the group continues to fight plans to build 110 miles of 50-metre-high pylons across the Suffolk and Essex countryside.
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This week, Priti Patel, who served as home secretary between 2019 and 2022, urged the Government to meet with campaigners and consider an 'undersea alternative' for electricity firm National Grid's cables.
The pylons are set to support power lines carrying electricity from wind farms off the East Anglia coast and would line a route running through Suffolk and into Essex past Dedham, Langham and crossing the A12 to connect into the East Anglian Connection substation in Tendring.
Rosie said: "It's fantastic to see MP Priti Patel making the case so strongly for local people - and pressing the minister, Andrew Bowie, for action towards a coordinated offshore grid.
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"In his response, Mr Bowie announced he will be in East Anglia next week looking at energy infrastructure projects.
"As we have not been invited to meet him to talk about the very biggest of those projects, 180km-long pylon-blight 'East Anglia GREEN', we have today written to Mr Bowie requesting his time during his visit."
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Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Patel, who is MP for Witham in Essex, said: “The minister will know that the East of England does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to renewables. We are investing in turbines and offshore wind.
“But he will also know that local communities are horrified at National Grid’s plans to build pylons across the entire region, which we know will connect and increase our energy supply.
“They favour an offshore grid. Can I ask the minister very directly, what is he doing to work with the local community to deliver this option?”
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