Derbyshire residents brand annual £250 a year discount on energy bills for pylons “ridiculous”

The route for the new power line – from Chesterfield to Willington in southern Derbyshire – would take it through the heart of countryside in the valley, directly over farmland near villages such as Higham. National Grid's upgrade is needed for extra capacity to transport renewable energy from the north further south, however the route has the potential to disrupt the lives of thousands living alongside it.

This month the Government announced a 10-year energy bill discount worth £250 a year for householders affected by the new pylons plus funding worth £200,000 per kilometre of line for community groups such as sport clubs. However people in the Amber Valley say “no amount” of compensation will change their minds about what they say will mean the loss of a “unique” landscape.

Heather Liggett, North East Derbyshire district councillor for Shirland, said: “For anyone around here, especially the residents of Higham, if they were to be given a couple of million for their properties or save the valley, it would be save the valley. Simple as. "They’ve already got beautiful houses to live in anyway. But we’re all extremely passionate about that valley. It’s where we go to unwind after a stressful day. It’s our amenity.

"Offering communities £200,000 per kilometre is just ridiculous – that would pay to have the cables underground. We don’t have sports clubs and everything else. The bridleways and footpaths are our recreation areas. No amount of compensation will help because we don’t want it to happen in the first place.

"They couldn’t have picked a worse route if they had tried. The area is unique. We have over 100 Grade II listed buildings and the outlook is part of that. What worries me as well is how far you’re going to be able to see these things – approximately 17 miles, it’s going to affect an awful lot more people than they realise.”

The route National Grid put forward during an initial consultation will not be finalised until after a second phase in early 2026 and the company says it is working “closely” with local communities.

However Margaret Simpson, who lives in Stretton and runs Hollybrook Flower Farm says “all we’ve had is letters saying they need access to our land”. She added: “We’ve been issued with a licence from National Grid regarding access if it were to go ahead. But we’re all in the dark because they haven’t made their mind up about where it’s going to go yet.”

"Previous generations and ours are the custodians of this countryside and we’ve all worked very hard, we all rely on the beauty of this valley which will have 50-metre high pylons cutting through the landscape.

"My business is a flower farm where I run workshops in the summer. People come from miles around to connect with nature. But this will also affect tourists who will be deprived of the opportunity of visiting. The £250 a year compensation is insulting. We don’t want any compensation, no amount can compensate for the loss of beauty in this valley."

Sarah Mcrow, who owns Brackenfield Alpaca farm, was informed of National Grid’s plans by letter in September last year and spoke of her “horror” seeing the planned route for the new pylons entirely covering her farmland.

She said: “It was covered from the top of our farm to the bottom of our farm, which included our house and an extension we had just completed. "I was incredulous to begin with. I thought this can’t be right, and then I realised just how big these pylons are going to be.They are absolutely going to affect everything in the valley.”

Catherine Harris, of opposition group Save Amber Valley Environment (SAVE), says the area is “about far more than the views from the villages that overlook it”. She said: “This Valley is not an empty space, it's unmatched in its wealth and public accessibility. The fields hedgerows are full of biodiversity and the landscape is a tapestry of history and heritage.

"The bridleway leads to miles of footpaths and clearings all of which are sites of our local communities’ recreational activities. Young people enjoy picnics and playing in the river, which will be a few yards from the proposed high voltage power lines. Ramblers and dog walkers will no longer be able to enjoy the peaceful setting of this Valley.”

SAVE says an independent study shows that of the estimated 3,000 businesses in the district, a third of them are tourism-related businesses. It is estimated that nearly 2,500 jobs are tourism related and over £170m is generated for the local economy.

A spokesperson for National Grid said: "Our proposals for Chesterfield to Willington are an essential part of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of our energy network in a generation.

“We continue to carefully consider feedback as we refine our proposals. We are still at an early stage and we want to work closely with local communities and stakeholders as we develop the project further, including the exact route of the project which has not yet been determined.

“We anticipate our next stage of consultation will take place in early 2026. At that stage we will present our updated proposals for Chesterfield to Willington. Everyone will have the chance to give feedback on our updated proposals.”