Villagers ‘trapped’ as concern grows over National Grid converter station proposals
A woman who moved to Huttoft looking for a peaceful retirement has spoken of hearing the ‘bombshell’ news that National Grid is proposing to place a 30-metre tall converter station in the village.
Kate Golightly and her partner, Andrew, retired to Church Farm Cottage, Church Lane, Huttoft, four years ago from West Yorkshire.
Kate had left a career in teaching and was looking forward to their new life near the coast.
“We didn’t want to be totally isolated, so chose this spot in order to be rural but engaged in the community. It’s on the edge of the village with views of the Wolds,” explained Kate.
Kate became a LIVES responder, a parish councillor and a volunteer at Alford Library and Andrew a church warden.
“We wanted to be integrated into local life,” said Kate.
Then the bombshell dropped with news of National Grid plc’s Grimsby to Walpole pylon plan and an Eastern Green Link 5 (EGL5) converter station for Huttoft. The converter station will occupy around nine hectares of land (more than 22 acres) and be 30-metres tall. During construction there will be an additional four hectare compound (almost ten acres),
EGL5 will bring wind farm power from off the Scottish coast via undersea cables to Anderby Creek and then run underground to the converter station and then be cabled underground to a substation near Bilsby as part of the Grimsby to Walpole overhead pylon connection. National Grid plc says it will power homes in the Midlands and the south of England.
More power from wind farms off the coast of Scotland will make landfall at Anderby Creek - EGL 3 and 4 – which has just been listed by the Times as one of the top beaches in the UK.
“The converter station will be bad enough, like an Ikea warehouse, but we are also worried about what other infrastructure it could then attract, such as solar or battery storage,” said Kate.
"Once these things are built they have a horrible habit of continuing to expand, as Bicker Fen has.
“All of this is absolutely incongruous in this rural landscape - alien to the surroundings.
"We don't want to move, we love it here. But even if we wanted to we’d have difficulty selling and our home will be devalued.
“The proposals have already seen other property sales in the village fall through, or homes not being sold. People are trapped.
“This is bringing overwhelming levels of stress to us and others in the community. It’s all anyone here is talking about. We are all so worried.”
The second round of consultation on EGL5 is due to take place some time next year. To stay informed go to www.nationalgrid.com/the-great-grid-upgrade/eastern-green-link-5
Views and concerns about the Grimsby to Walpole pylon proposals can be emailed to National Grid now and until the current consultation period ends on August 6. Email [email protected].
Ben Muncey, Project Director for Grimsby to Walpole, told Lincolnshireworld feedback from communities was vital in refining proposals.
He said: “The way we generate electricity has changed and is continuing to change. As our demand for electricity grows, this project will connect our homes, businesses and public services to sources of home-grown British energy which will lower our electricity bills in the long-term and make us more energy independent.
“We thank everyone who commented on the initial proposals during our last round of consultation. The feedback was critical to refining the proposed route and we look forward to engaging the community around the updated plans.”