THERE will be no further debate on proposals to build a new string of huge pylons across Suffolk after a proposal to refer the issue back to the cabinet was defeated.

Paul Geater

THERE will be no further debate on proposals to build a new string of huge pylons across Suffolk after a proposal to refer the issue back to the cabinet was defeated.

Earlier this month Suffolk County Council's cabinet passed a motion calling on National Grid to put the proposed 400Kv line underground as it passes across the county.

However they said if the wires had to go overground Corridor 2b (following the line of existing wires which would then be taken down) would be the “least worst” option.

Protesters felt this was effectively giving the county's endorsement to an option which would see wires going across the part of the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Opposition leader Kathy Pollard tried to persuade the county council to send the issue back to the cabinet to come up with a proposal that would not describe any of the routes as being better or worse than any other.

However only Ipswich Conservative Russell Harsant voted with the opposition, so the proposal to refer it back to the cabinet was defeated overwhelmingly and the policy will remain unaltered.

Conservative David Yorke-Edwards had earlier told the meeting that none of the four proposed corridors across South Suffolk were acceptable, but it when the vote came he did not oppose the council's stance.

That had been agreed at the cabinet meeting on February 2, and council leader Jeremy Pembroke, whose division would be crossed by Corridors Three and Four, repeated his warning that if the council did not express any preference National Grid would see it that they had not expressed any view on which of the four routes was best.

Mr Pembroke said: “None of the routes are acceptable, but if we don't express any kind of preference we risk getting the worst of all options imposed on us.”