Consultation begins over Wales and Shropshire wind farm plans

A massive consultation was set to get under way today on controversial plans to connect proposed new wind farms in Mid Wales with the National Grid in Shropshire.

Huge power pylons could be put up across the Shropshire and Mid Wales countryside to harness the power from the planned wind farms.

A series of 48 consultation meetings with communities along the proposed line of pylons was due to start today with a drop-in meeting at the Eastern Oswestry Community Centre.

It comes amid claims part of the plans - which include building a large new electricity substation in a Powys village - would have a detrimental effect on schoolchildren's health.

Campaigners against the bid to build a substation in Abermule, near Montgomery, claim it could also lead to people being driven out of their village.

Two potential sites at Abermule, near Newtown, and Cefn Coch, near Llanfair Caereinion, have been earmarked covering about 19 acres.

Abermule Primary School pupils will protest against the plans at the village's consultation on Saturday.

Terry Wain, headteacher, said: "We are all very concerned about this potential development in Abermule and really hope that something can be done to prevent it from being located here."

The consultation event at Abermule Community Centre takes place on Saturday between 10am and 4pm.

Jane Taylor, a spokeswoman for National Grid, said the meetings aimed to listen to people's views.

She added: "As far as the health concerns, there are government guidelines in place for any type of emissions that come from electrical equipment and the National Grid keeps within these guidelines."