CONCERNED residents have taken a stand against plans for 50-metre-high pylons to be built across their beloved landscape.

Almost 150 people turned out to a public meeting about National Grid's proposals to link the proposed nuclear power station at Moorside, near Sellafield, to the electricity network via a connection which would run down the west coast of Cumbria, past Broughton and Dalton to Rampside, before travelling under Morecambe Bay to Heysham.

A number of residents came together to organise the event at Thwaites Village Hall on Monday night, where residents called for a public meeting with National Grid to "set the record straight".

One of the organisers, Mr Bradshaw, said: "There is a unanimous concern from residents about how National Grid is going about the project and there were calls for a further meeting with representatives from National Grid alongside our MPs and local authorities."

Residents from Silecroft, Millom, Broughton, Kirkby, Ireleth and Barrow all attended the meeting and were united in their concerns about the future of the project.

It is felt that the Moorside project presents a rare opportunity to get rid of the pylons, which are 25 metres high, for good but people fear that their views are not being listened to.

Mr Bradshaw said: "National Grid came out to a consultation in 2014 which was completely ineffective and there were public meetings in 2015 but they weren't consultations.

"They've had no meaningful engagement with the public."

However, National Grid reports it is still working hard to investigate all potential routes and technologies, and is planning further consultations later this year.

The Evening Mail understands that if residents still want a meeting at this stage they will consider the request.

A statement said: "National Grid has not yet made a final decision on what we will be consulting on. We are currently working to finalise the proposed route we plan to share at our formal public consultation.

"Information on the entire route will be released at the start of our consultation in order to allow people to examine and feedback on our proposals once they are finalised."

Campaigners are now eagerly awaiting the results, which are expected later this year, and are determined to keep on fighting to protect the area.

Mr Bradshaw said: "I feel we owe it to these future generations as well as ourselves as custodians of this beautiful area to stand up for what we believe is the right approach, which is a tunnel like under Morecambe Bay.

"We must seize the opportunity presented by the Moorside project to remove pylons and we certainly shouldn't be allowing National Grid to make the current situation any worse.

"National Grid need to understand that the western Lake District is not some sort of second rate part of the Lake District or second rate section of the national park."

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