Have a say on pylons

National Grid has launched a public consultation on plans to develop a new generation of pylons at its Eakring Training Centre.

Local residents are invited to meet members of the National Grid team to find out more about the proposals.

The plans will be on display on Friday from 3pm to 8pm and Saturday from 10am-1pm at Cator Hall, Eakring.

The new T-pylon design is about 10 metres shorter than the traditional lattice pylons.

It won an international competition held by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and The Royal Institute of British Architects, who described it as attractive, innovative and a simple design likely to blend into different landscapes.

National Grid will be applying to Newark and Sherwood District Council for planning permission to build a test line of six new T-pylons and connecting wires at its Kirklington Road training centre next year.

The T-pylons will not be part of the live transmission network, but used to train National Grid’s engineers in how to construct, maintain and work with them.

The existing site already features a number of test lattice pylons, also used by National Grid for training purposes.

Mr Bryan Ashford, National Grid’s learning and development manager, responsible for the training centre in Eakring, said: “We will soon be submitting our planning application but before we do so we want to hear what the people who live and work near our site have to say.”

For more information about the project call 0800 015 1212 or email nationalgrid@eakring.info