Lincolnshire Councillors “shocked” at National Grid pylon plans

The plans have been announced as part of National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade, an overhaul of the electricity grid involving new infrastructure projects across the country.

The grid proposes installing new overhead cabling right through Lincolnshire between Grimsby and Walpole near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, along with new electricity substations.

Cllr Colin Davie, executive councillor for economic development, environment and planning at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This so-called ‘Great Grid Upgrade’ won’t be great for Lincolnshire’s visitor economy as these pylons, substations and overhead cables will carve up our beautiful landscape.

“Alongside our seaside resort towns, a huge part of our coastal charm is the miles of unspoilt nature and beaches that make up the east of Lincolnshire. There are a string of nature reserves along the east coast, not to mention the Lincolnshire Wolds, the beauty of which would be severely impacted by these unsightly pylons.

“I understand the need for infrastructure to connect new sources of renewable energy to the grid. However, elsewhere in the country, National Grid’s plans involve burying these cables under the ground or under the sea; why can’t that be done in Lincolnshire too?

“And this isn’t power being brought in to supply Lincolnshire’s needs, necessarily. This wall of wires and pylons is ostensibly to take power down to London and the south east.”

On 5 December 2023, Lincolnshire County Council’s executive approved an Energy Infrastructure position statement, which outlined how the council will respond robustly to National Significant Infrastructure Projects like this, to protect agricultural land and prevent developments blighting the landscape.

Cllr Davie continued: “We refuse to let Lincolnshire be seen as a place to dump unwanted infrastructure projects. But as these pylon plans are classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, permission won’t be determined locally.

“The council, as a statutory consultee, will be sure to make our views on the proposals clear to the relevant Secretary of State who will make the final decision to grant consent or not.”