Louth & Horncastle electoral candidates unite against National Grid's pylons

National Grid’s proposal for an 87-mile electricity network stretching from Grimsby to Walpole, with electricity and pylons erected through the county’s coastal landscape, has been met with much criticism since the plans were announced earlier this year, with critics favouring less intrusive underground cables, an alternative the company considers significantly more expensive at six times more costly than overhead pylons.

Louth & Horncastle’s candidates have all expressed their opposition to the plans, with opinions ranging from “deeply troubling” to “completely abhorrant”.

Green Party candidate Robert Watson has called for the government to get the energy companies to cooperate in putting a grid under the sea, then costs will be significantly reduced.

He said: “National Grid refers to its pylon proposal as the Eastern Green Link - nothing about the placement of 50-metre-high pylons and high-voltage cables in unspoiled countryside may be considered as green.”

Independent candidate Paul Hugill has said he is “​strongly opposed” to National Grid’s Pylon Proposal and is advocating for offshore alternatives.

"Our beautiful countryside, its already stretched farmers, its communities and the diverse fauna, flora and wildlife need protecting and supporting at every turn,” he said.

“Our personal day to day choices and those of businesses can be both environmentally friendly and profitable if we embrace current research and global breakthroughs."

Reform candidate Sean Matthews has said that he finds the plans by National Grid “completely abhorrant”, and he said he will stand in front of the bulldozers himself to prevent the construction of the pylons from taking place.

"These would absolutely ruin a beautiful part of the countryside, and they will also bring about solar farms – for me, farms should be producing food, not electricity,” he added.

"National Grid need to be reigned in and bringing in a law to stop from happening should be a top priority for whoever is voted in.”

Conservative candidate Victoria Atkins has been vocal on her opposition to the plans from the beginning, and said that she is "deeply troubled by the National Grid’s proposals”.

"The Conservatives have listened to our concerns locally and promised in the Conservative Party Manifesto to conduct a rapid review into the use of alternative technologies, including underground cables, rather than pylons. Compare this with pylon-loving Labour who have revealed in their manifesto that they will ride roughshod over dissenting voices and force the building of pylons on our countryside.

"Sir Keir Starmer has said Labour would "be tough" towards people objecting to pylons near their houses and that they would "change the way things are done". The choice is clear: if you want to stop the pylons, vote Conservative."

Meanwhile, Labour’s Johnathan Slater said that he was also against the pylon plans in their current format, and that if voted as our new MP in the upcoming elections, will insist to cabinet ministers that that the proposal needs to have the consent of the community before they are approved:

"We need to go back to the drawing board and get something that has the approval of the community – it’s not acceptable in its current form and is taking away valuable farmland. Lincolnshire is the bread basket of the country and we need to support our farmers.”

Liberal Democrat Ross Pepper also said that an off-shore alternative must be considered by National Grid as it would have the least impact on our environment:

"It is imperative that the National Grid has investment to keep us supplied with the electricity needed, however, that must be in tandem with the commitment to safeguard our natural environment and the consideration of the views of local residents.

"Liberal Democrats are calling for the National Infrastructure Commission to take into account the environmental implications of all national infrastructure decisions."

The Iconic Arty Pole of the Monster Raving Loony Party was contacted for comment, but could not be reached at the time of going to press.

A spokesperson for National Grid said: “This new electricity network reinforcement project in Lincolnshire is part of The Great Grid Upgrade and is needed urgently to connect new green energy to the grid.

"This will help meet the Government’s ambition to connect up to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030, so every home and business in Lincolnshire and beyond can be powered by clean, green and more affordable electricity.

“Government and the regulator require us to develop proposals which not only comply with current government planning policy and environmental legislation, but are also efficient, economical and represent value for money to consumers, as the cost of new network infrastructure goes onto the energy bills of households across the country.

“We understand that plans for new infrastructure, including pylons, can cause concern in nearby communities, and we will be giving careful consideration to environmental and community impacts.

“We are now reviewing all the feedback received from local people and stakeholders during our first consultation to help us develop more detailed proposals that will be shared at our next public consultation in 2025.”