Norfolk to Essex pylon application submitted

About 114 miles (183 km) of pylons could be built between Tilbury in Essex and near Norwich

National Grid's plans for an electricity network through Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, the company has announced.

The project would see 114 miles (183 km) of pylons built from near Norwich to Tilbury, Essex, carrying electricity produced by offshore wind farms.

Project director Simon Pepper said it would be a source of "home-grown British energy which will lower our electricity bills in the long-term".

But Nikki Maguire, of the Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons action group, said she was "very angry" people on the ground had not been listened to, adding an offshore grid was a better alternative to pylons.

Project director Simon Pepper said the aim was to reduce energy bills

The project will upgrade the electricity network with a Norwich substation via a substation in Bramford in Suffolk to a new Tilbury North substation in Essex.

National Grid said the upgrade would provide enough electricity to power up to six million homes and businesses, in a region where demand is expected to double by 2050.

About 20,000 people took part in its community feedback, which led to changes including plans to run an underground cable section near Great Horkesley, near Colchester, close to Dedham Vale National Landscape.

Mr Pepper said the plan would help make Britain more energy independent.

"Our application submission marks a significant milestone for the Norwich to Tilbury project, which continues to be an essential part of the UK's transition towards a cleaner energy future, by helping to connect renewable and low carbon energy to homes and businesses across the UK," he said.

The power line would be used to carry electricity produced by offshore wind farms

Ms Maguire said 40,000 people had signed a petition calling for an offshore grid or to run the cables underground.

"Pylons aren't as cheap as National Grid make them out to be, there are other options which are better quicker and cheaper," she said, adding she was in support of green energy.

"I'm very angry, they're not listening to the people on the ground who will be affected - East Anglia is so flat and pylons will be seen all over the area.

"Up and down the country, we need a better solution."

National Grid's plans include:

• About 159km (98 miles) of new overhead line supported on about 509 steel lattice pylons

• About 21 km (13 miles) of underground cabling, some through the Dedham Vale National Landscape

• A new East Anglia connection node substation, with a new permanent access, on the Tendring peninsula

• A new Tilbury North substation to the south of Orsett Golf Course in Thurrock

• A substation extension works at the existing Norwich Main and Bramford substations to connect and support operation of the new transmission connection

Mr Pepper said National Grid's consultation had led to "a lot of local changes - moving pylons or access roads or construction sites to better locations".

But he added underground cables were more expensive, while sea cables "carry only one third of the capacity of an overhead line and are much more expensive".

"We have to balance consumer bills with local interests," he said.

If the application receives development consent, construction would begin in 2027 and take about four years.