In the closing statement to National Grid’s Norwich to Tilbury examination, Mid Suffolk District Councils have restated their objection and again called for the plan to be halted – with questions remaining unanswered over the devastating impact of the scheme for local communities, businesses, environment, heritage and landscape.

National Grid proposes 159km of new overhead lines between Norwich to Tilbury, with the route cutting through the Suffolk countryside. It includes 21km of underground cabling, including some through the Dedham Vale national landscape, and up to seven new compounds to connect underground sections to overhead lines.

Although negotiations with National Grid have secured some improvements to planned construction practice and ecological management, in a joint closing statement submitted today, the council said there too many questions still unanswered regarding the significant and devastating impacts of the scheme on the districts.

The councils repeated their objection to the proposal and the call they made during public hearings earlier this year for a delay to the project so other options – such as an undersea route or underground cabling – can be fully considered and costed.