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National Grid has shortlisted eight areas of natural beauty across England and Wales which will benefit from its £500 million project to reduce the visual impact of its electricity infrastructure.
The UK’s transmission system operator said on Monday that twelve sections of its high voltage power lines have been identified as having the most significant visual impact on national parks following an independent study.
National Grid said in a statement that “some of these locations” will benefit from a share of the £500 million set aside to reduce the visual impact of lines and pylons.
“A range of engineering measures could be implemented including the replacement of existing overhead lines with underground cables, the re-routing and screening from key public viewpoints of the lines,” the company said in a statement.
From the same £500 million funding pot National Grid is also set to establish a fund which can be accessed directly by national parks and areas of natural beauty to be used for smaller landscape enhancement projects.
The fund will payout £24 million over six years, beginning in 2015, National Grid said.
The protected landscapes singled out by National Grid include: areas of natural beauty in Dorset, High Weald, North Wessex Downs and the Tamar Valley; and the Brecon Beacons National Park, New Forest National Park, Peak District National Park and Snowdonia National Park.
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