The
Snowdonia National Park is crossed by two major sections of high voltage (400Kv)
National Grid transmission lines with big pylons. One runs from west of
Abergwyngregyn on the north Wales coast through Bwlch y Ddeufaen to Dolgarrog
in the Conwy valley. The second in the south runs from the Dwyryd estuary at Llandecwyn to Trawsfynydd and across the
Migneint to Bala.
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| Emerging from beneath the Glaslyn estuary and onwards to Trawsfynnydd and across the Migneint |
The UK
government through OFGEN has set aside £500 million mainly for undergrounding
sections of the National Grid in protected landscapes (National Parks and Areas
of Outstanding Natural Beauty) across Britain. An initial consultation took
place earlier this year and it is anticipated that there will be an opportunity
at a later stage to identify which areas should be the priorities for
undergrounding.
Snowdonia
has a greater length of National Grid powerlines than any other National Park
in Wales and, across the UK, only the South Downs National Park has more. The Snowdonia Society will be arguing the case
along with others to ensure that Snowdonia gets its fair share.
Before you
get carried away please remember that the total fund for all the protected
landscapes in the UK is £500m. Each kilometre of overhead cabling costs £1.5m
and underground cabling costs much more and depends upon the complexity of the
geography. Recent figures for undergrounding in Powys suggest that each
kilometre might be £7 to £8 million i.e. the total pot for the UK is equivalent
to 60 to 70 kilometres and within Snowdonia alone there are 53 kilometres. If
we could get 6 or 7 kilometres that would be a fair share.
It will be
important therefore to highlight those sections of the existing routes which are
particularly damaging; perhaps where they cross over important open spaces
where there is little cover, or where they are very prominent from main roads,
or especially damaging to ecosystems.
We would welcome your suggestions using the comment facility below, or to director@snowdonia-society.org.uk, so that the Society can put forward a well thought out short list for consideration. More information about the consultation can be found here.
May I suggest that the section from where the lines cross the North Wales Path just SW of Abergwyngregyn to just to the East of Pen y Gaer hill fort, this would transform the despoilation of the present wonderful views. The lines are particularly intrusive where they cross the pass at Bwlch y Ddeufaen. If the stretch from Llandecwyn to Trawsfynydd could also be undergrounded, that would be a huge improvement. Many people travel in these areas, including many walkers, some of whom come long distances to enjoy the matchless scenery.
ReplyDeleteThis comment by a member of the Society
What a wonderful, and unexpected opportunity. Given the limitation to only a few kilometres, my approach would be to concoct some principles:
ReplyDelete1. It must be an area where there is already good quality landscape, albeit with pylons.
2. The removal of only a small section of pylons from a view should not be nullified by pylons left in that same view.
3. Removal of pylons close to the viewer will have much more impact than ones further away.
4. We should prioritise for the maximum number of people.
I haven’t done a survey with these things in mind, but the one area that I know that fits the bill is the line just east of Llandecwyn Station and up the valley to Llyn Tecwyn. It is good wild landscape, easily visible from the road and ruined by the pylon line going right up the middle.
There may well be more like this, but I would need to search them out.
This comment by another member.
.....whilst the cables across the estuary were disconnected it was possible to get a beautiful unrestricted view of Snowdon and Penryhyndeudraeth that is not available when the cables are in position, and now they have been put back in place that view has been lost, what a shame.
ReplyDeleteBest of Luck in your campaign to get the blasted things put underground!
This comment by another member.