Plan approved for pylon route between two villages

Strengthening the network was vital to deliver "cleaner, greener electricity", National Grid said

A 29km (18 mile) power line route is to be built between two villages after divisive plans were approved by the government.

The pylons and cabling will stretch between Bramford, Suffolk, and Twinstead, north of Halstead in Essex.

The application, consisting of 18km (11.1 miles) of overhead lines and 11km (6.8 miles) of underground cables, was approved on Thursday.

The proposal was granted despite the project being branded "unacceptable" by the deputy leader of Suffolk County Council, Richard Rout.

The views of residents had been given "full consideration" ahead of the decision by the government, the Planning Inspectorate said.

National Grid had previously warned the region's existing high-voltage network did not have the capability to "reliably and securely transport all energy that will be connected by 2030".

James Greenhalgh, the project's director, said the scheme was "vital to ensuring the UK benefits from the huge amount of clean energy projects planned".

He added National Grid was "delighted" the application had been approved.

However, Rout had said the project set a “wholly unacceptable precedent” for future projects by the electricity operator.