Public meeting over 31-mile steel pylon route planned to stretch from Mid Wales into Shropshire

According to Green GEN Cymru the 132kv line would provide a way to export energy from the Llyn Lort wind farm and others in Mid Wales.

No application has yet been submitted for the line or the wind farm.

The wind farm would be made up of 25, 220m tall wind turbines, generating 165MW energy – enough to power 144,000 homes.

A decision on the wind farm, and the Welsh section of the power line will not be taken by Powys Councillors, and will instead be decided by Welsh Government ministers in Cardiff.

The wind farm is proposed by Bute Energy, which also owns Green GEN Cymru.

Residents along the route are being invited to attend a public meeting to discuss the plans from 4pm to 6pm at Pant Memorial Hall on April 19.

The meeting has been arranged by North Shropshire's Liberal Democrat MP, Helen Morgan, amid concerns from residents about the potential impact of the line and its construction.

The route will take the line from its site to the west of Llanfair Cereinion, north east to Llansantffraid, past Pant and Llanymynech, and on to Frankton, to the east of Oswestry.

Green GEN Cymru says the line is vital to meet renewable targets.

It said: "In Mid Wales and Shropshire, the existing electricity network does not have the capacity to connect new renewables to homes and businesses, locally and nationally – to end the use of fossil fuels we need new infrastructure and quickly. If we do not upgrade the electricity network quickly, we risk missing renewable targets and failing to address the climate emergency.

"Green GEN Cymru's Vyrnwy Frankton connection will mean that the energy generated by new energy parks can be used in homes and businesses, locally and nationally."

Earlier this month Shropshire Council provided an initial response to the plans – where it raised the prospect of some of the line being buried underground, and a re-think over the steel pylons planned for the line.

It comes after Green Gen Cymru's own 'scoping report' on the scheme accepted that 'undergrounding' could be appropriate in some areas.

It did though warn that burying cables comes with its own disruption.

It said: "It is acknowledged by Green GEN Cymru that undergrounding of the cables could be appropriate along sections of the Scoping Corridor.

"However, the undergrounding of cable infrastructure, whilst reducing visual impacts in the most highly sensitive locations, does generate additional impacts due to ground disturbance that would otherwise not occur with an overhead line.

"This is particularly pertinent for ecological, archaeological and hydrological receptors.

"It is therefore essential that any proposals for undergrounding of the cable infrastructure include a detailed consideration of the likely significant effects associated with their construction to ensure that an appropriate balance is achieved that is consistent with planning policy.

"At this early stage in the development of the project it is not yet possible to identify where undergrounding could be considered appropriate, and this will be developed and proposed as the design progresses following further consultation with stakeholders."

Shropshire Council's own response stated: "We acknowledge that undergrounding may result in potential impacts on ecology and archaeology resources.

"Nevertheless as part of the EIA (environmental impact assessment) process opportunities for undergrounding should be fully explored given that this would have a significant bearing on the likely effects of the development on landscape and visual interests."

The council has also suggested consideration over whether different pylons can be used.

It said: "The type of structure proposed would clearly have a significant bearing on the overall potential impacts of the scheme.

"For example, there may be benefits in providing wooden poles in preference to the traditional lattices structures from a landscape and visual perspective.

"Consideration should be given at an early stage of the process as to whether alternative designs should be incorporated within the project in order to avoid or minimise adverse impacts."