Relief has been expressed after it was confirmed a third set of pylons will not be built on the outskirts of Hadleigh as part of the Bramford to Twinstead electricity network development.

A consultation about the plans by the National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) is due to being on January 25, about the new pylon run, which was announced for the area in January 2021, running from Norwich to Tilbury.

Until this point, NGET had refused to give any specificity on the actual route for where the new Norwich-Tilbury line would run, even though it is clear that the line would run to Bramford and have to head south from there somewhere.

However, Hadleigh MP James Cartlidge has today confirmed he has been assured by Zac Richardson, director of New Infrastructure at NGET, that the proposed 400kV pylon line is not expected to be an additional line along the Bramford to Twinstead powerline and so will not form a third set of pylons on that route.

Mr Richardson, said: "More detail will feature in our upcoming consultation on the Bramford to Twinstead reinforcement where we would look forward to hearing further feedback on our proposals.

"However, I can advise that our ongoing optioneering work for reinforcement between Norwich and Tilbury is not currently indicating a tripling of the Bramford to Twinstead route."

Mr Cartlidge, who represents South Suffolk in parliament, welcomed the news as bringing 'relief' to those living along the route, which can be clearly seen from Hadleigh and many of its surrounding villages.

"I am very pleased to receive this assurance from NGET, which should bring some relief to those living in villages along the Bramford-Twinstead pylon route," said Mr Cartlidge

"It would not be reasonable to open the consultation on Bramford-Twinstead without prior knowledge on whether the ATNC route was going to be incorporated into it, as cumulative impact could not be appropriately assessed.

"Although there are still many unknowns about the route of ATNC, which we know will run from Norwich to Tilbury and presumably have to come through South Suffolk from Bramford at some point, this is positive news for those living near the existing Bramford-Twinstead powerlines, who have enough to deal with in the current consultation without considering even further development.

"I would encourage all interested parties to contribute fully to the Bramford-Twinstead consultation when it opens at the end of January."

The consultation will appear on the National Grid site here...