Power line plans protect national park from new pylons - Farron
South Lakeland MP Tim Farron has welcomed proposals which would see pylons removed from the western side of the Lake District National Park for the first time in 50 years, as well as a tunnel under the sea to avoid putting huge new pylons across the southern edge of the Lake District.
The latest plans unveiled by the National Grid for a £2.8bn project to connect the planned Moorside power station on the west coast of Cumbria into the electricity network could see over 23km of the proposed route along the western section of the Lake District National Park put underground and existing pylons removed from the area. The plans would also see the power cables put through a tunnel under Morecambe Bay, to avoid the southern part of the National Park. The final plans mean that the route does not pass through Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.
Tim has had a number of meetings with project leaders over the summer, and has welcomed the decision to protect the national park. Tim is now encouraging local people to take part in the public consultation on the proposals, which will be open from Friday 28th October until 6th January 2017. The public can either respond online on the project website, or attend a consultation event. One event will take place at Natland Village Hall on Saturday 10th December between 10-3.30pm. A full list of dates and locations is available online.
Tim said: "The Lake District is one of the most beautiful areas in the country, and it is right that these plans recognise this unique landscape and try to protect it. It is an invaluable asset to our area, driving the tourist economy, and its beauty must not be put at risk from inappropriate development. These plans avoid building pylons across the western and southern parts of the Lake District National Park. Having met with the project developers and made clear the strength of local feeling on this matter, I'm pleased that this has been listened to and taken into account. I'd encourage local residents to make their own views known in the public consultation."