Pylon removal plans for beauty spot scrapped

A £178m scheme to remove pylons and overhead power lines from a "world-renowned" beauty spot has been scrapped after Ofgem refused to fund the project.

Planning permission had been granted for National Grid to replace 7km (4.35 miles) of overhead high-voltage electricity line and 16 pylons with underground cables to enhance land across the Cotswolds plateau.

However, Ofgem has now confirmed it will not fund the project as the benefits did not match the price consumers had to bear.

Leaders of Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said the decision put short-term economic costs above enhancing a "world-renowned" tourist destination and "many hours and a great deal of money" have been wasted.

National Grid wanted nearly £178m of funding for the project, which was designed to reduce the visual impact on land close to the Cotswold Way National Trail, running from the south west of Winchcombe to the south east of Cheltenham.

It would have led to consumers paying an extra 13p a year over a 25-year period.

An Ofgem spokesperson said the authority recognised there are important trade-offs in decisions of this nature involving infrastructure and nationally designated landscapes.

"Ofgem's role is to protect consumers and make sure any costs added to bills are fully justified and, in this instance, this discretionary project does not represent the best use of consumer money.

"Rejecting funding for the project will save consumers an estimated £180m at a time when many households are under severe pressure from the cost of living," they added.

A National Grid spokesperson said it acknowledged Ofgem's final decision and it was "disappointing for stakeholders, partners and organisations who have supported the development".

"The decision reflects Ofgem's priority to protect consumers from unnecessary costs. Its view is that rejecting these proposals is in the billpayers' best interests at a time where many are struggling with the rising cost of living," they added.

Simon Murray, chair of CPRE Gloucestershire, said "a great opportunity has been missed".

"CPRE recognises the cost of living pressures facing many families across the country and the need for government to spend money wisely, but this decision is another example of short-term economic arguments overriding wider rural interests.

"The Cotswolds National Landscape is world-renowned for its beauty and draws hundreds of thousands of tourists from across the world every year. Here was an opportunity to enhance its countryside beauty by undergrounding pylons, as other countries have done."

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