TWENTY years ago there were extensive public inquiries into the National Grid’s planned 400 kilovolts (kV) powerline from Teesside to York.

Unprecedented numbers of landowners refused to grant voluntary wayleaves which would have enabled the grid to access their land.

The public opposition group Revolt worked with local authorities in representing objections at inquiries and hearings over several years.

Now it’s coming up again, as the 15-year compulsory wayleaves imposed on landowners from 1998 are up for renewal from March next year. Landowners are considering their options.

Renewable energy policy increasingly places heavier demands on the grid. It would seem unrealistic now to expect to have this line removed, buried or re-routed. There may, however, be grounds for complaint about practical matters such as entry, notice, identification, tree lopping, noise and so on.

There is also the threat of yet more powerlines. A new “Dogger Bank Teesside”

converter station is proposed, to land some four gigawatt of offshore wind power from the North Sea. This will need a new 400kV National Grid substation (as well as the converter station) in an undisclosed location and most likely new 400kV lines in North Yorkshire.

That could be avoided if more power were landed at Humberside.

Revolt would be pleased to hear from all concerned at revolt.co.uk and may convene a local public meeting to exchange views.

Mike O’Carroll, chairman of Revolt, Welbury, North Yorkshire.