‘The uncertainty is killing us’ – Inside the Essex estate that will be infiltrated with pylons

Charlie Warburton is amongst those who could have pylons running through his property as part of the National Grid's Norwich to Tilbury grid upgrade.

| Charlie Warburton on his Langham Hall estate. Photo: Daniel Madgin

For thousands in the east of England, a swathe of pylons and underground cables is set to be placed on the doorstep or directly on their properties.

One of those is Charlie Warburton, who could suffer severe environmental and socioeconomic losses on his estate due to the electric lines that could directly cut through his estate.

“They won’t talk to us; we keep asking the same questions, and they keep saying we don’t know the answers,” Charlie tells me as he drives around his serene Langham Hall estate in Essex.

In 2022, National Grid put 50,000 flyers through the doors of those living between Norwich and Tilbury to announce that their pylons proposal is going ahead.

According to National Grid, the project will support the UK's net-zero target and will reinforce the region's transmission network.

The proposal means building 184 km of new electricity transmission reinforcement, and it will support the growth of offshore wind and nuclear power.

National Grid says the upgrade is needed as, in its current state, the network lacks capacity in East Anglia for the new generation.

Since the proposals were first introduced, Charlie has battled to protect his estate. He says his business is asset-rich and cash-poor, so he must generate income on 500 acres of land.

The current iteration of pylon plans scuppers his opportunities to generate revenue on his estate, and a lack of clarity from National Grid leaves him in the dark.

| Map of Langham Hall Estate outlining the farm, wetland & lines of construction

“I don’t know when they’re going to pay me compensation or if they’re going to pay me compensation for the farm losses, and when they’re going to do it. We just can’t get anywhere. It’s like knocking on a brick wall,” explains Charlie.

“I’ve just got to do the things that I know I can make work and just carry on until National Grid tells me what the hell is going on. The uncertainty is killing us.

“The history of how they’ve treated us has informed my view about how they’re going to treat us moving forward. I don’t think they give a toss about the impact it is going to have on everybody around them or what it might mean for the landscape.”

The first pylon line proposed by National Grid passed through the Grade I-listed St. Mary's church. Although this has since been modified, Charlie thinks the change was not due to his concerns.

He said, “They did mention that the proximity of the church meant that they were uncomfortable passing it, but I honestly believe it’s the ground conditions that were the issue, not our concerns about heritage assets.”

| The arable land on Langham Hall estate. Via Google Earth

As we stand at the foot of the acres of farmland, Charlie tells me he will be unable to farm during construction.

“Our losses are going to be considerable,” admitted Charlie.

“Our claim to National Grid will be in the millions, and they’re going to say no, and I will be able to justify that because that’s the sort of income we are generating.

“The bit that really worries me is the habitat. I’m really worried about the lasting impact that this is going to have on the river basin, flooding, the landscape, the soils, the wildlife."

Below, Charlie takes a tour of his estate to explain the effect the pylons will have on his estate.

For compensation, National Grid will seek to agree to easements with all affected landowners, which would give them a permanent agreement to install, use, and maintain equipment and assets on their land to construct pylons.

Compensation payments vary with the type and size of land for the construction. Whether the new connection will be an overhead line or underground cables, landowners will receive compensation.

‘The whole of Eastern England is being dumped on’

Rosie Pearson, who heads the campaign group Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons, is neither a fan of how National Grid has conducted business.

“I think it’s sheer arrogance,” said Rosie. “They think they can bully it through. We have got a tough battle on our hands, but they haven’t seen opposition like ours before because we’re incredibly coordinated up and down the whole line.”

Data from the group shows that 81% of locals feel that National Grid has not listened to their thoughts on the pylons.

In recent years, East Anglia has been the centre of several industrial projects, such as the new nuclear power station, Sizewell C.

Rosie believes her area is targeted and blames the government for neglecting the residents.

| Rosie Pearson, Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons. Supplied

“We know that Ed Miliband is very happy to dump all the energy infrastructure in our region, he wants us to be the powerhouse of Britain and he doesn’t care what we all say.

“The whole of eastern England is being dumped on. If you look at the number of solar plant applications on greenfield and the best farmland in this region, which should be used for food. We’re becoming totally industrialised, and everything everyone loves about their region is ignored,” added Rosie.

Energy expert Jacopo Torriti believes demand will only increase, fuelling the belief in the need for pylons.

"Data centres alone may require up to 5% more energy than we currently do as a country," he told BBC. "Then imagine having 30 million more or so electric vehicles on the road. That will obviously push consumption up."

The latest government incentive, branded ‘pounds for pylons’, means those living near the infrastructure will get electricity bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years and £200,000 of funding per kilometre of pylon cables in their area.

Ed Miliband said on the incentive: "The only way to make Britain energy secure and bring down bills for good is to get Britain off dependence on fossil fuel markets and replace it with clean, homegrown power that we control."

Although alternatives exist, National Grid believes pylons are the most efficient and cheapest way to transmit electricity.

Additionally, an independent report from The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) notes that underground cables could be around four-and-a-half times more expensive than overhead lines, and an offshore HVDC network 11 times more expensive.

Rosie believes that National Grid's determination to advance its plans is detrimental to the community.

“It’s really distressing for people,” she said. “People are so upset, they’re heartbroken, they’re seeing everything they love destroyed, they can’t sleep at night. It’s absolutely awful.

“We’re on our fourth consultation now, where all they’re doing every time is making tweaks to their original proposal and not listening to a word anyone is saying. You can’t move it and say there’s no impact. You can’t play pylon ping-pong.”

However, National Grid is optimistic the pylons will be constructed, and the community will be compensated as such: “We believe that communities should experience lasting and concrete advantages and welcome the publication of the community benefit guidance.”