Rt Hon Therese Coffey MP, Jo Churchill MP, Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Andrew Bowie MP, James Cartlidge MP.
Requests for greater public consultation on energy infrastructure in East Anglia have been reiterated by Suffolk MPs, who have called for last year's "fait accompli" not to be repeated.
The Off Shore Electricity-Grid Taskforce (OffSET) - a group of East Anglia's MPs calling for a coordinated offshore electricity grid - met with Andrew Bowie, the new government minister for networks, to discuss infrastructure in the region.
Concerns have grown across the last year around National Grid's East Anglia GREEN scheme - a planned pylon line from Norfolk to Essex, via the Suffolk countryside - over the potential impact on communities and the environment.
In particular, National Grid has come under fire for its consultation exercise last year, with critics stating it failed to prevent alternatives to the pylon reinforcement.
South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge said: “It was good to meet with Andrew Bowie, the new Minister responsible for Networks earlier this week to discuss the proposed pylons in South Suffolk. Alongside Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk colleagues, we again raised the need for a fully integrated offshore grid off East Anglia, to reduce the impact on our local communities.
"The minister was positive about the progress that has been made, including proper consideration of alternative options to the proposed pylon run.
"I again made the case for further community engagement, requesting that my constituents are presented with all of the possible options, including offshore, rather than simply the fait accompli line that was offered in last year’s consultation," added Mr Cartlidge.
Published in the Suffolk Free Press.
