Hintlesham: English Heritage express concerns for hall after pylon route announced

English Heritage has criticised the energy giant’s Additional Assessment of Effects of Interim Alignment and Visualisation Study, which forms part of its proposals to construct a new power connection between Bramford and Twinstead.

The route passes close to Hintlesham Hall, near Hadleigh, and English Heritage says the study downplays the contribution of the landscape to the significance of the hall.

There is an existing line of smaller pylons running close to the route that the new line would take, and English Heritage says the new proposals would “exacerbate” the impact of the existing ones.

In a letter to National Grid following a meeting at the site last month, Clare Campbell, the organisation’s inspector of historic buildings, said “key views” of the hall and its grounds would be “compromised” by the project as it is proposed.

She continued: “The new line would pass across the historic landscape bringing the overhead lines closer to the hall. This would exacerbate the negative impact of the existing line on the setting of the hall.

“In many of the views towards and from the buildings and within the wider landscape additional overhead lines and pylons would be visible. This would erode the landscape character of the setting of the hall.

“While the conversion of some of the parkland to arable land has changed the character of the landscape, it remains a rural landscape setting which contributes to the significance of the hall.”

A National Grid spokeswoman said the feedback would form part of the ongoing consultation process, which is set to conclude by the end of the year before a planning application is submitted.

She said: “We are studying it thoroughly and have got one of our cultural heritage specialists investigating it.

“The points raised will then go into the mix of all the feedback we have had and will be considering before we make any further decisions.”

The EADT is running a Stop the Pylons campaign.