Public urged to attend meeting over Mid Wales to Shropshire pylon route
An MP has urged people likely to be impacted by plans for a new power line to attend a public meeting on the issue.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has organised a meeting to discuss recent proposals for a line of 27-metre pylons past several villages and hamlets in the area near Oswestry.
The Vyrnwy Frankton Connection would take power from a substation at Cefn Coch in Powys and through the Vyrnwy valley to the existing high-voltage network near Lower Frankton near Ellesmere, over a distance of around 40 miles.
The proposed route would see the line go across the Vyrnwy valley then crossing the A5 near the golf course and the British Ironworks centre before meeting up with the National Grid in Lower Frankton.
Villagers in Crickheath, Pant, West Felton, and a number of other impacted areas have been calling for additional consultation and raising concerns about the effect of the 27-metre pylons on the nearby countryside.
Mrs Morgan met many of the affected residents and is calling for the routes to be buried at key points along the route such as between Pant and Crickheath.
The MP has invited Green Gen – the company behind the plans, to attend and will be joined by representatives from Shropshire Council, impacted residents, and independent campaigners who plan to share their advice and experiences from scrutinising similar proposals.
Mrs Morgan said she is also keen for anyone unable to attend the meeting to share their views on the project with her.
She said: "Hundreds of people who live in the beautiful Vyrnwy Valley and North Shropshire countryside would be impacted by the current proposals for the Vyrwny Frankton Connection.
"It is important that their views are listened to and acted on. The proposals as they stand are just not good enough for local residents, and I am keen to make that point as clearly as I can.
"I am hoping that the meeting next week will be a productive one and mean that the community can go to Green Gen with suggestions and a clear voice. For it to be a success, we need a good turnout, so please do come along if you are impacted by the proposals.
"Rerouting the connection, burying the cables, and positioning the pylons differently are all options that must be on the table."
The meeting will be held at Pant Memorial Hall from 4pm to 6pm on April 19.
