A prominent group dedicated to preserving, protecting and enhancing large swathes of the south Suffolk countryside has published its response to the Bramford to Twinstead power lines project.

The Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Partnership's full response to the National Grid includes the fears felt with regards to the project.

The AONB believe will cause significant damage to the fabric of the nationally designated Dedham Vale and AONB Stour Valley during construction.

While it acknowledges the embedded mitigation contained in the current project proposals the partnership notes the residual damage to landscape, wildlife, heritage assets that mitigation such as undergrounding will cause.

It considers that options as presented, and alternatives, will cause significant impact to landscape and wildlife. National Grid should implement every possible means to avoid, minimise, mitigate and compensate for such damage inside and outside the AONB.

The partnership considers that the exact alignment will influence the magnitude of impact on some defined natural beauty characteristics such as natural heritage features and cultural heritage.

The response calls for compensation be paid to the 'AONB' for operational and construction impacts and suggests the Stour Valley Environment Fund, AONB Sustainable Development Fund and resource for AONB team as a means to distribute at least part of this compensation.

While the partnership recognises wider concerns about the projects impact, outside the nationally designated AONB and Stour Valley project area, and those concerns raised by stakeholders relating to transmission method, impacts of undergrounding and local impacts versus national need.

It also acknowledges the significant research undertaken by local communities and landowners and considers that National Grid should undertake assessment of suggestions put forward by the community and respond to questions relating to need and technology.

Two of the seven stages of the project will directly affect the Hadleigh area with power lines going through the Brett Valley and Polstead.

The project has been split into seven stages:

Section AB: Bramford Substation to Hintlesham

• Section C: Brett Valley
• Section D: Polstead
• Section E: Dedham Vale up to the AONB boundary
• Section F: Leavenheath and Assington
• Section G: Stour Valley
• Section H: GSP Substation has been added since the non-statutory consultation

Read full AONB response here.