Council to sell 1.2 acres of land for major pylon removal scheme

Barnsley Council’s ruling cabinet is set to consider selling 1.2 acres of land at Wogden Foot to National Grid, as part of a major scheme to move electricity pylons underground.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

If approved, National Grid will buy the land from the council for £7,800, and build a sealing end compound at the site.

The council will also consider a two year lease of land to be used as a works compound, which National Grid will pay £70,984 in advance.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As part of the plans, seven electricity pylons and two kilometres of overhead power lines will be removed.

Barnsley Town Hall.   Picture Tony JohnsonBarnsley Town Hall.   Picture Tony Johnson
Barnsley Town Hall. Picture Tony Johnson

The pylons, which cover a distance of 1.8km from Dunford Bridge in the Peak District National Park to Wogden Foot, will be removed, and replaced by underground cables, which will run beneath the Trans Pennine Trail from the entrance of the Woodhead Tunnel to the new sealing end compound.

Improvements will also be made to the car park at Brook Hill Lane, and a temporary Trans Pennine Trail will be used for around 18 months while construction is ongoing.

Two bridges will also be erected over the River Don – one temporary and one will be made permanent.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The proposal is one of four National Grid Visual Impact Provision projects which aim to make use of £500 million from Ofgem to place existing overhead lines underground in nationally important landscapes in England and Wales.

A report to the cabinet states that the sale is recommended for approval at the cabinet’s next meeting on December 16.

It added: “During the undertaking of the works there will be a significant impact on the local community, due to the nature of the works there will be regular vehicle movements within the locality. The work will take place over a period of two years

“It is estimated that the council will benefit from a capital receipt from the sale of land in the region of £7,800 and for the cable easement a sum in the region of £22,100.”

READ MORE:

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.