Calls for a halt to plans to build pylons between Norwich and Tilbury could receive the backing of Suffolk County Council.
Councillor Richard Rout, the council's deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and environment, has tabled a motion to the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, May 21 calling for a pause to the plans to enable alternative options to be considered.
Power firm National Grid is seeking to create a high voltage network, which will pass through Suffolk and will encompass electricity being generated by offshore wind farms and brought onshore by subsea cables, known as LionLink and Sea Link.
READ MORE: National Grid consider study on Suffolk cables proposals
Earlier this week, this newspaper reported how Dr Andy Tickle, an independent planning and campaign consultant, had called for the scheme to be halted to enable various offshore and underground solutions to be explored, in a report entitled 'Greening the Great Grid Upgrade'.
National Grid has refuted the findings of the report.
However, now Mr Rout is also calling for offshore or underground options to be investigated.
READ MORE: Protestors opposed to National Grid infrastructure in Suffolk
He said: "Our message to National Grid and Ofgem is that the current proposals must be put on hold so that the alternative solutions, which do not involve pylons, can be properly explored.
“We support the government’s desire for energy security for the UK but this must be achieved appropriately and fairly where our communities and the local environment will feel the impact from energy projects.
“Our work so far has helped change the proposals, by introducing more undergrounding of cables and altering the location of parts of the scheme.
READ MORE: Saxmundham news
"But this does not go nearly far enough and in our opinion there are significant issues which remain - not least adequate research into offshore solutions or High Voltage Direct Currency, as well as more clarity around the cumulative impact of other energy projects.
"Therefore, we have no choice but to object to the proposed scheme.”
Dr Tickle's report was commissioned by the countryside charity CPRE in Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex and the Suffolk Preservation Society, which campaigns to protect Suffolk.
Campaign groups have also backed his findings, including Suffolk Energy Action Solutions, which fights the adverse effects of offshore wind farms on the countryside and environment.
They are particularly concerned about the impact of a planned substation at Friston and converter station at Saxmundham on the countryside.
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