'We don't want pylons here!': Croft villagers' message to MP

There was standing room only when Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman hosted a meeting at Croft Village Hall this afternoon (Friday) for residents to have their say about National Grid’s proposals for the Great Grid Upgrade across Lincolnshire.

Villagers were joined by No Pylons Lincolnshire campaigners and parish, town and county councillors from across the district, who are also adding their weight to the opposition as the official consultation progresses.

Earlier this month the National Grid visited Burgh-le-Marsh, which is also on the proposed 90-mile high voltage electricity transmission line from ‘Grimsby to Walpole’.

This, however, was an opportunity for people to help their MP report back to the Government, who instructed National Grid to come up with proposals on how to increase the capability of Britain’s electricity transmission network in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and West Norfolk.

Previously Mr Warman told Lincolnshire World he was concerned about the permanent scar pylons would leave on Lincolnshire's rural landscape, which contains Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

"Overground pylons are ultimately the cheapest option; but I wish to see consideration given to an offshore or underground transmission route, which would preserve the beauty of the local landscape,” he said.

After the meeting in Croft, he said: “We heard loud and clear that pylons are not the right solution for this important project and there are other ways of doing it.

"I don’t think there was a single person in this room today or an the other meetings I have hosted who tghink we should be pursuing this project and that is the message I will be telling the government in the coming weeks and months.”

Resident Grahame Baumber questioned what impact the seven Lincolnshire MPs could have against a government of 600.

He also referred to the Mr Bates and the Post Office scandal and how the ‘little people’ united to win their fight against Royal Mail.

However Mr Warman pointed out there were 13 similar projects across the country at different stages with many other MPs also relaying their community’s views.

Local businessman Roy Sanderson, of Croft, was amongst the gathering and said he had lived in the village for 83 years. “We don’t want our beautiful countryside spoilt by pylons when there are alternatives to go from Grimsby down the North sea and link up with Outer Dowsing to Waplode,” he said.

"We need the power and I support turbines in the North Sea but I hope the government has the common sense to do it in the correct way.”

Nicola Hughes of No Pylons Lincolnshire said it was encouraging to see so many people turn out to share their views.

"We are against these proposals and think it’s sacrilage,” she said. “We have had farmers in tears and it’s not good enough – we are not having it.

"We’ve managed to unify over 3,000 people on our Facebook group and we are making a support network for those who need us.

"We only have until March 13 to complete the National Grid’s online consulaltion form.

"Think about yourselves and your decendants because this is a big imposition by National Grid.

"It’s important people have their say.”

The meeting also heard that alongside Skegness Town Council and Lincolnshire County Council, East Lindsey District Council had also made their stand on the pylon proposals.

Leader leader Craig Leyland said: "Our residents, communities, businesses and affected ward councillors are now grappling with the unwanted intrusion of the National Grid proposal to run a 400kV overhead transmission from Grimsby to Walpole.

"This will affect the whole of the South and East Lincolnshire Partnership area and will, in my view, potentially destroy a landscape in East Lindsey that has taken millennia to shape.

"The proposed route, with supporting sub-stations, will cut a swathe between our coast and the Lincolnshire Wolds.

“It has the potential to scar and destroy vistas that exist between our Wolds and the coast. Communities and residents may well be subjected to an industrial landscape not of their choice or making.

"As an Executive, we are deeply concerned that the proposed route of the overhead transmission line will detrimentally impact on a hospitality and tourism industry that attracts 4.48 million visitors per year and in 2022 was worth £824 million to the local economy.

“It is perverse that a scheme that aims to deliver the government’s net zero targets could itself harm an environment that should be protected for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.

"We fully recognise the need to have energy security and the need to distribute energy to where it is needed but the cost of doing so should not be a burden on host communities or be detrimental to the local economy.

“As a Council we will encourage residents to complete the National Grid consultation.

Mr Leyland said the council would also urge National Grid to consider;

~ all alternative routes including off shore

~the under-grounding of cables

~all available technologies

~the lessons learnt from other areas of the country where overhead transmission lines have not been welcomed.

In the meantime the National Grid is continuing its consultation with further webinars, including one for the Burgh le Marsh to Midville and Midville to River Witham section on Saturday, March 2.

Ben Muncey for National Grid said feedback from local communities and stakeholders is vital.

He said: “The Grimsby to Walpole public consultations have generated a lot of interest from local communities, with more than 2000 people attending events, in person and online across the regions so far.

“We are very grateful to everyone who has shared their views with us so far. Feedback from local communities and stakeholders is vital as this, along with the results of surveys and assessments carried out by the project team, will inform our work as we develop the project further.”

To register for a webinar or for any questions or information, members of the public can email [email protected] call the community relations team on 0800 0129 153. The project webpage can also be accessed at nationalgrid.com/g-w