The pre-application consultation, a requirement specified by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) process closed at midnight on January 22nd. The next steps in the process will involve National Grid making a formal application to the IPC for development consent. This is expected to happen some time in 2011. In a recent press release, National Grid states that “During the 14-week consultation period more than 2000 feedback forms, around 1100 letters and e-mails, and nearly 100 telephone calls” were received by residents giving their views on the proposals. The press release goes on to say ‘We will be aiming for a route which has the best balance of community, environmental, engineering and financial factors. We will announce our preferred route corridor once we have examined all the comments and will show how these views have been taken into account in making our decision.”
From the press release it is clear that public opinion does not seem to have swayed National Grid to seriously consider other options and that they intend to proceed with one of the two highly controversial overhead routes. The press release can be found here: National Grid press release 29-Jan-10.
There is a lot for us to do before the application reaches the IPC, and all pressure groups along the proposed routes have now united to prevent National Grid dividing affected communities. Please continue to support Yatton Against Pylons and check our website regularly for updates.
