5,000 people take part in pylons consultation

More than 5,000 people have responded to a public consultation over plans which could see pylons put up across Shropshire and Mid Wales, it was revealed today.

National Grid had only received 2,000 responses to the proposals as of June 7, but as the deadline for comments drew nearer people reacted in their droves with an extra 3,000 responses received.

The company aims to build a substation in either Abermule, near Newtown, or Cefn Coch, near Llanfair Caereinion, to supply power from windfarms being built across Mid Wales to the national system.

A 400,000-volt connection between a proposed substation and an existing power line will provide the link, either by using underground cables or, more likely, pylons.

Dozens of consultation meetings have been held across the region with residents being warned that apathy could mean that their views will be ignored.

A plea by campaigners, including Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski, has spurred people into action and the number of people from Shropshire and Mid Wales who have responded reached 5,000 by the June 20 deadline.

A spokeswoman for National Grid today said: "We got around the number we expected. In the last couple of weeks we had a late flurry come in which pretty much doubled what we had had.

"Late responses do tend to happen as the closing date looms.

"It was about 5,000 responses which includes feedback forms and e-mails and letters."

Officials say the information will now be read and analysed before a report on the feedback is drawn up. The results are due in the autumn.