Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of pylons in the Grimsby to Walpole project on the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Government does not make assessments of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) unless they are submitted to the relevant Secretary of State for a final decision. Currently this project is at the pre-application stage. As for all NSIPs the developer should comprehensively assess the potential effects of their proposals within their application. This includes assessments of their project’s potential effects on landscape, visual character, and ecological integrity as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment. The scope of any assessment should be agreed between the applicant, relevant statutory consultees, and the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of the relevant Secretary of State.