Pylon campaigners slam chancellor's mini-budget planning laws

Rosie Pearson, founder of the Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons group, said that the budget "shows contempt to communities and the countryside".

Under new rules announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday, planning regulations will be streamlined while securing planning permission will be made easier.

New Prime Minister Liz Truss has also proposed the establishment of 'investment zones' across the UK which would see areas of low tax and low regulation for businesses - an initiative Number 10 hopes will drive economic growth.

However, groups campaigning against the establishment of a 110-mile long National Grid pylons project across East Anglia say such policies are "wrong on so many levels".

“The environmental impact of this 110-mile long pylons project is not whether you like to look at them or not," said Ms Pearson.

"Huge numbers of trees will be cut down and we will lose wildlife accordingly.

"We are already one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries. The chancellor has inferred that communities are a burden, consultation is a burden, environment is a burden.

"It appears that it’s simply growth at any cost. That is just so wrong on many levels.”

Activists also say Mr Kwarteng's proposal to accelerate projects "flies in the face of a recent legal review by top planning KC Charles Banner who warned that "if left uncorrected National Grid’s legal deficiencies surrounding this pylon project will infect the later statutory consultation".

The pylons group said it will fight any loosening of planning restrictions "all the way".

“Anything that removes communities from the planning process, reduces environmental protections and shifts the balance of power to the private sector any further is extremely alarming," added Ms Pearson.

"There are very few benefits to be seen of this worrying bonfire of planning and environmental regulations - and a huge downside risk for our environments and our communities.”