The Chelmsford Conservative Group is opposed to National Grid's current proposals for a new over-ground pylon route across much of East Anglia.

We fully support the concept of North Sea wind farms to generate abundant, cheap, clean electricity. Furthermore, the recent increase in energy prices, coupled with the global insecurity of energy supplies gives added impetus to this strategy.

National Grid have launched a non-statutory consultation, but only on their preferred route, having dismissed the alternative land routes and off-shore option.

The Chelmsford Conservatives would like to see the see the off-shore route as the first preference, which avoids the need for hundreds of over-ground steel lattice pylons and would reduce the environmental damage, disruption and despoliation of the countryside.

We demand that National Grid holds a proper public consultation on all options, including the off-shore route, with full details and costings being made available for public scrutiny, not simply an informal consultation on their pre-selected over-ground route.

We will continue to lobby National Grid and the Government to ensure that all necessary infrastructure is delivered in a sustainable manner. For us, this means moving the proposed new pylon route to an offshore location.

Please make your thoughts known to National Grid by filling in the consultation available via their website at https://www.nationalgrid.com/electricity-transmission/network-and-infrastructure/infrastructure-projects/east-anglia-green

And join with us in making it clear that the current over-ground route is unacceptable and that the consultation should include details on the other over-ground routes and off-shore route.

The consultation runs until Thursday 16 June 2022.