National Grid Pylon Project – East Kent MPs united in opposition.

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January 19th 2016

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East Kent`s three Members of Parliament are united in their opposition to National Grid`s pylon project designed to carry power from a Nemo Link cable landed at Richborough across country to Canterbury.

Julian Brazier (Canterbury), Sir Roger Gale (North Thanet) and Craig Mackinlay (South Thanet) have said in a joint statement:

“This line of proposed pylons would, if allowed to be erected, scar some of East Kent`s most beautiful landscapes with massive and intrusive structures, would effectively prohibit the building of a vital Broad Oak reservoir designed to provide the area with its future water supply and would culminate in a monstrosity towering over the historic Canterbury City skyline at a height above the Bell Harry Tower.

Of course we recognise the need to “keep the lights on” but this scheme is neither desirable nor necessary. We are told that “there is no alternative” but it is clear that this bad choice has everything to do with money unwisely spent pursuing an unacceptable option in the teeth of advice and very little to do with maintaining a power supply.

If it is necessary to import power from Germany at considerable loss en route then there is a perfectly viable undersea route from Zeebrugge to Kingsnorth that could connect to the British National Grid with no need for unsightly infrastructure whatsoever.

We shall, together, be lodging objections to this proposal with the Planning Inspectorate and we hope that, rather than wasting further money on consultation and an inquiry, it will be denied the oxygen of further consideration. Nemo Link and National Grid need to go back to the drawing board and, if they want to import electricity from Mainland Europe, come up with an underwater scheme that is environmentally acceptable”
 

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