Residents vote on power line plan

Residents near Oswestry were set to go to the polls today to have their say over controversial plans for a new overhead electricity line.

In order to increase supply, SP Manweb proposes to construct a £6 million overhead wood pole electricity line between Oswestry substation and Legacy, near Wrexham.

But objectors claim this would ruin beautiful countryside and called for the parish poll.

It will be held at the St Martins Centre, on Overton Road, St Martins, between 4pm and 9pm today.

Residents in the parish are being asked: “Should St Martins Parish Council make representations to the Secretary of State for the Environment to request that SP Manweb modify the proposed route of their 132KV power line or place it underground through the parish?”

A spokesman for Oswestry Borough Council said: “There will be the opportunity of answering the question with either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. The outcome is not binding on the council.”

The cross-country route being proposed by SP Manweb would see the line run past Pont y Blew, Chirk, Glyn Morlas, St Martins and Hindford, near Gobowen.

Local resident Mac Ozanne, who has campaigned for the parish poll, said only a high turnout at the referendum would lend credibility to the protest movement.