A REGIONAL council is set to launch an official objection and call for a halt to plans to build a new electricity pylon link from the east coast near Norwich to Tilbury, cutting through rural land to the west of Basildon.

The National Grid project would see 159km worth of overhead cables strung between 50-metre-high pylons spanning from Norwich to Tilbury — the remaining cabling would be run underground, making the whole project 184km long.

It has been widely condemned in Norfolk, Suffolk and North Essex, but response to the project in south Essex has been somewhat muted.

While whole villages in the north are up in arms, with placards adorning many local roads and the issue has been debated at a number of council meetings, it's been relatively quiet in south Essex.

Known as the East Anglia Green project, the scheme was first announced in early 2022.

At the time it was immediate condemned by East Tilbury councillor Fraser Massey, who called on National Grid to consider running the cables around the coast, under water.

That cut little ice with the power company but residents in Thurrock still have the opportunity to have their say on the project in an ongoing consultation that runs until 18 June.

A public opportunity to comment at a meeting at Civic Hall in Grays last week slipped by almost unnoticed. However, residents can also take place in a webinar to be held on Thursday, 6 June from 6-7pm when the Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock part of the project will be discussed. You can sign up for the webinar via this link.

National Grid say: "This statutory consultation follows two previous public consultations in 2022 and 2023. We have carefully considered all feedback received, along with technical and environmental assessments as we have developed our proposals."

The official questionnaire on the revised project, offering residents the chance to express a view, can be accessed via this link.

Meanwhile the controversial project is set to receive a formal objection from Suffolk County Council, which is responding to widespread criticism of the scheme among residents.

As a statutory consultee, Suffolk County Council is due to approve a formal objection during a cabinet meeting next week.

Although the papers due to be presented acknowledge the need for infrastructure to connect low-carbon energy developments, as part of the Government's energy security targets, they outline the need for other options to be considered.

Cllr Richard Rout, who is due to move the objection, said some of the alterations made to date, including more underground cabling and different locations, don't go far enough, with significant issues still remaining, leaving the council no choice but to object.

He added: "Our message to National Grid and Ofgem is that the current proposals must be put on hold so that the alternative solutions, which do not involve pylons, can be properly explored.

"We support the government's desire for energy security for the UK but this must be achieved appropriately and fairly where our communities, and the local environment, will feel the impact from energy projects."