𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Ed Miliband has been accused of an “offensive derisory attempt” at buying off people whose homes will be impacted by pylons. Families living near new pylons would get a £125 discount on their energy bills every six months for a decade under Government plans to get electricity infrastructure built.

New transmission cables and pylons are needed across Britain to upgrade ageing electricity networks, connect up new wind and solar farms, nuclear power plants and large scale battery storage, and reinforce the grid to cope with the planned rise in electric heat pumps and car charging in homes. The Government says around twice as much new transmission network infrastructure will be needed by 2030 as has been built in the past decade.

But Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice MP said: “This is an offensive derisory attempt to buy off people whose homes are blighted already by the appalling pylon plans. Often many tens of thousands of value is lost on their home. The cables should go undersea or underground. The cost difference is minimal overall.” Building new pylons and cables through the British countryside has faced a backlash, with homeowners and campaigners concerned about the visual impact and disruption to local areas and beauty spots.

The Government has pledged to deliver clean energy by 2030, as part of efforts to boost the economy, cut climate emissions and reduce Britain’s exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

It hopes cash benefits to local people will reduce opposition and planning delays to the infrastructure needed to deliver the clean energy plans.

Sam Richards, CEO of Britain Remade, said: “Cash off bills alone won’t build the grid Britain urgently needs.

“Right now, vital projects are being delayed by a broken planning system. We can’t enjoy an abundance of clean power, cut bills for households and businesses, or secure our energy future without new pylons and energy infrastructure. That means removing planning barriers, reforming the grid queue, and speeding up approvals.

“Our lack of grid infrastructure is part of the reason why the Government is in the crazy position of paying hundreds of millions of pounds a year to turn off wind turbines when it is too windy while firing up polluting gas fired power stations.

“Without pylons, there’s no clean energy future. It’s time to stop talking about building and start actually doing it.”

Households within 500 metres (a third of a mile) of new or upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure could receive a discount of up to £250 via their electricity bill every year for 10 years, totalling £2,500.

The discounts, which would be assigned to the home, and applied to the occupant, could be provided in instalments of £125 every six months.

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “As we build the infrastructure we need to deliver homegrown, affordable energy, communities must be given a stake.

“That is why we are teaming up with communities hosting new pylons to ensure they receive direct, tangible benefits.

“We are on the side of those who want Britain to get back to what it does best: building for the future, driving innovation and putting communities first.”