Advice to Emma Talbot
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- From
- Emma Talbot
- Date advice given
- 23 October 2013
- Enquiry type
E-mail and attachment received by the Planning Inspectorate from Emma Talbot:
I have strong objections to the Hinkley Point C connection project using pylons to distribute energy across Somerset. This approach to energy distribution would mar the countryside landscape while an underground distribution method would protect the landscape. The connection project is focussing on cost and ease for the National grid, while we should be concerned about the long term damage to our countryside, wildlife and tourism income. All of which would be affected by an over-ground distribution method.
I believe the Hinkley point C connection project should be preferably subsea (otherwise underground). An idea that is held strongly within the Somerset community. This has been priced at adding only £1.00 to the bill of householders. This approach would avoid a long term environmental disturbances and disruption to communities in the vicinity of the proposed pylons. It would also prevent health risks from the 440 V cables and remove the visual scar of the large pylons proposed.
National Grid must continue to find viable solutions to their negative reasoning for why this cannot be solved by a subsea method. With the delay of the Hinkley C power station National Grid have plenty of time to work with.
The alternative option is an underground method, potentially by the use of the gas insulated lines used in Europe. Again the added cost is negligible for each household (75p). While this method would give large disruptions to Somerset communities during construction/building, following completion there would be less long term impact to communities and the environment and less visual impact across Somerset. The associated health risks with pylons would also be circumvented.
In relation to Study Area B: The impact on our community now and the future will be disastrous. The pylons will run parallel to Biddisham Lane across a flat landscape so will be easily visible. The pylons (even with the new design) will be a lot higher and wider than the current pylons (PL 1 Std HT) which currently run along this route, making them significantly more of a visual scar. The pylons cannot be obscured by natural means, as the National Grid requires a 10m clearance of trees and hedges from around each pylon. This combined with their height and width will make the pylons stick out like a sore thumb.
Views looking north to the Mendip hills across this flat landscape have been recognised and documented by National Grid for their local importance and have great significant value to the community. Other National Grid documents state that the pylons will only have moderate to minor impact to the landscape. This demonstrates how National Grid perceives the importance of the local community as the pylons will have a huge impact, causing blight on the landscape and destroying this much valued vista.
The sealing end compound for the Loxton gap undergrounding will add to the dramatic visual impact locally, and will use many acres of valuable grazing land. It will be significantly noticeable from the Mendip Hills, Crook Peak in particular, an area of outstanding beauty. As well as this, lighting of the compound will effect local residence and cause light pollution.
In relation to Work area 2D on the A38: This work area is based in Tarnock / Biddisham, and was only divulged by National Grid during this last round of consultation, which is totally unacceptable. The work area is planned on a highly dangerous red route road. Frequent accidents occur with fatalities. Selecting this section of the road for the slow turning of Lorries in, out and across the A38, even with a managed road system, will cause local traffic chaos and further casualties. The compound will have valuable hedgerows and trees removed and will have a direct impact on noise and light pollution.
This area is also of significant historical interest, and the works will cause damage to any archaeological artefacts beneath the ground. Additionally, night work will disrupt the village of Biddisham and the life in the rural community.
In relation to noise: there will be substantial noise from the increased voltage line. Noise travels across Somerset levels easily, trees and hedges help to dissipate the noise, but these will be removed. Also, dampness accentuates the noise, and our weather is often damp. The houses at Tarnock are very close to the new T pylon proposed which will undoubtedly affect these residents. Noise from the installation of the pylons and the construction work lorries will also carry across the fields. The Sedgemoor Planning department committee are well aware of the impact of noise on the Somerset levels.
In relation to EMF: The Hinkley C connection has been designed for optimum phasing of the lattice pylon and not the T pylon planned for Biddisham. This means there is a greater health risk, especially to children. Biddisham has a large nursery school and houses at Tarnock fall outside of the National Grid guidelines of I believe a 60 meter clearance.
There is a lack of information on the works access routes shown as blue lines off Biddisham Lane. Biddisham Lane has houses with road frontages, no passing places and rhynes along the road edge. It is unsuitable for heavy and large verchicles.
Wild life will be disrupted, including thickets, which are used for deer. These will be removed by National Grid.
Please note: The way that National Grid has consulted the local Communities over the past few years has been greatly faulted. Feedback from the Mendip forum group has been ignored.
National Grid only supplied limited information, which gave a positive reflection to the project, i.e. the resent DVD shows only good views not the real view at the Tarnock / A38 area. Another example is landscaping of pylons through the terrain of hills etc. This cannot happen on the Somerset levels.
Detailed information was only offered if requested and again explanations and information was kept to a minimum. For example, T pylon design was only discussed as one design not the fact that the design varies along the route for angles and that the T pylon is smaller than the proposed pylon and over looked it is higher than the pylons already in place.
Specific community information which related to a sensitive part of the connection was gleamed over and well hidden in documents which were very difficult to find/ or not present. For example, the storage area at Biddisham. During National Grid community sessions, the compound was dumbed down stating it would be of minimal impact to the area but the National Grid documents show this is not correct with 2 storey high portacabins.
I feel that National Grid has treated communities poorly, aiming only to tick the appropriate boxes needed and that National Grid was always going to select preferred route 1a corridor using pylon technology. Numerous ideas and technical information has been given to National Grid to prevent pylons and now with the Hinkley C delay they have time to find a more friendly community solution for this important energy connection.
Advice given
Response, letter sent via e-mail, from the Planning Inspectorate attached.