Shropshire farms cash call over pylons scheme

Farmers must be 'properly and fairly' compensated if they lose fields to a massive pylon scheme through the Shropshire and Mid Wales countryside, union bosses said today.

The NFU's comments came after farmers in the Shrewsbury and Nesscliffe area attended a meeting with National Grid bosses to discuss how the proposed pylon scheme would affect agriculture.

Although the meeting heard farmers could get as much as £6,000, the talks also heard concerns that some fields would be taken out of production, leading to a loss of income for farmers.

The meeting at Nesscliffe Village Hall, attended by about 25 farmers, was also told landowners and farmers could expect compensation of £500 if they allowed up to 49 metres of cable on their land, £750 for up to 99 metres of cable and £1,000 for more than 100 metres.

NFU spokesman Oliver Cartwright said farmers had various concerns about the plans but had left the meeting on Thursday reassured by some of the answers from National Grid.