SP Energy Networks has published the proposed route for the £18 million North Shropshire Reinforcement, which will see a 132,000 volt wood pole overhead line constructed from Oswestry to Wem. The new power line will provide additional capacity in the region to support business investment and new residential developments across North Shropshire.
Following a round of public consultations in the Summer, and after receiving more than 120 responses, the company has issued a newsletter to over 2,500 local homes and businesses which includes a map of the proposed new line. The line will run between Oswestry substation, located at the A5/A495 roundabout, and Wem substation, located on Ellesmere Road on the western side of Wem.
The proposed route takes in to account the feedback received during the consultation. Comments were received from residents in Cockshutt, including potential visual impacts in the area from property owners. As a result of this feedback, the company has decided to follow a more southerly route. This is further away from Cockshutt and avoids greater impacts on any single property in the area. People also commented on the potential impacts affecting the section of the line beside Hordley. Based on this feedback SP Energy Networks reviewed its options, and identified a preference for a new section altogether.
Mark Sobczak, Head of 132kV Programmes at SP Energy Networks, said: “This is one of the most significant upgrades to the electricity network ever proposed for north Shropshire. We want to ensure that the network is modern, reliable and capable of supporting opportunities for future growth.
“From the comments received during the first stage of consultation, we are pleased that there was generally a level of support for the way the process was run and most respondents considered they were given sufficient information in order to give informed feedback. Feedback on the consultation itself was really useful and we have used this information to plan the next stage.
“We have already carried out a considerable amount of investigatory work, and now we will begin to develop more detailed plans. We will go back to speak with communities again with a Stage 2 consultation during 2017, which will help us to finalise our plans before we submit a formal planning application in 2018.”
All documents will be published on SP Energy Networks’ website, and the Stage One Consultation Feedback Report and the Updated Line Route Report, are also available to view at:
- Wem Library
High Street, Wem, Shrewsbury SY4 5AA - Cockshutt Millennium Hall
Cockshutt SY12 0JQ - Oswestry Library
Arthur Street, Oswestry SY11 1JN - Wem Town Council
Edinburgh House, New Street, Wem SY4 5DB - Ellesmere Library
Fullwood House, Victoria Street, Ellesmere SY12 0AA - Whitchurch Library
High Street, Whitchurch SY13 1AX