Forncett St Mary villagers brand government’s pylons compensation 'insulting'

Villagers living along a proposed pylon route through the Norfolk countryside have described a compensation offer of up to £250 off their energy bills as “insulting”.

Under new government plans, households within a third of a mile of the line – from Norwich to the Thames Estuary – will be in line for the annual discounts for a decade.

The offer is intended to reduce opposition to the scheme, which is seen as a vital to help achieve net zero targets and cheaper than alternatives, such as burying the cables underground or laying them offshore.

However, it has not gone down well in eligible communities on the pylon route.

Locals in Forncett St Mary, close to the proposed 114-mile power line, have criticised the idea, saying the sum being offered is “piffling” and pales in comparison with the amount they expect their property values to plummet by.

Under plans announced this week to help get infrastructure projects moving, people who live near new pylons will get hundreds of pounds off their annual energy bills.

Households living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power systems such as pylons to get access to a bill discount scheme giving them up to £2,500 on bills over 10 years – equivalent to an annual payment of £250.

The scheme is expected to be in place from 2026 and apply to new onshore, above-ground transmission cables and substations, as well as some major upgrades.

Developers will also be urged to fund projects like sports clubs, educational programmes or leisure facilities as part of efforts to reward communities that host new infrastructure.

‘UTTERLY INSULTING’

Villagers in Forncett St Mary said they felt “insulted” by the announcement.

These are among several thousand households located along the proposed route of National Grid’s contentious Norwich to Tilbury power scheme.

The project would involve a string of 45-50m high pylons carrying power generated from windfarms off the Norfolk coast to elsewhere in the country.

The proposals have provoked strong opposition in the area, with critics saying the structures will have a devastating impact on the countryside.

Martin Starkie, who has lived in the village for more than a decade, said: “They are trying to sweeten the deal by offering money but the amount they are offering is piffling.

“This isn’t an acceptable solution. They can stick their offer.”

Mr Starkie and his wife Gill live approximately 550m away from the proposed pylon route, meaning they would not be eligible for the compensation.

Liz Bell, another local, lives close enough to the route to be receive the discount, but says this will not make up for the financial impact on the holiday homes she lets.

She said: “Guests come to stay here because they love the big, open skies. My business is going to go down the pan.

“The discount being offered is utterly insulting.”

WHAT WOULD LOCALS PREFER?

Owen Warnock, one of many villagers who form part of campaign group Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons, said he would prefer the government subsidised transport or supported local pubs rather than funding new community centres or playgrounds.

He added: “The idea of compensating people is good in principle but chucking one-off payments at village halls or tiny amounts at individuals isn’t the right way to do it. This is a tiny bribe.”

Norman Stevens, who would be eligible for the energy bills discount, said: “We need full compensation for the value we will lose from our properties.

“That is what I will be fighting for – but nobody is listening to us.”

David James, who grew up in the village, said there was “nothing the government could give” to compensate for the pylons.

“The discount won’t make any difference to me,” he added.

A spokeswoman for National Grid said: “We welcome the government’s guidance on community benefits which supports the principle that communities should be rewarded for hosting the transmission infrastructure essential to boosting home grown, cleaner and more affordable power for the country.

“We will look at how the guidance applies to projects like Norwich to Tilbury and then work with communities and stakeholders to deliver meaningful, long-term, social and economic benefits.”

As a reader, we know the value you place on trusted local journalism. At the Diss Express we are committed to delivering the very best coverage from our communities, and we can only do this with the support of our readers.

By becoming a subscriber you not only support us in this mission, you also unlock a whole host of benefits, including unlimited access to ad-lite websites and digital editions of all our weekly newspapers. You can find out more about subscriptions here.

Use the promo code KEVINHURST to get an annual subscription for less than £25 - we really appreciate your support. Thank you.