Campaigners fighting controversial proposals to build a massive substation and pylons across Mid Wales and Shropshire say an ongoing consultation is “seriously flawed”.

People Against Pylons, a group set up to fight the plans, said the period of consultation was too short and clashed with a number of bank holidays.

It comes weeks after National Grid bosses said they would hold consultation events in the area to find a potential route for a 400,000 volt cable using 26m high pylons.

Two locations at Cefn Coch or Abermule have been identified as sites for an electricity substation and 10 routes have been suggested for the power line that would join the grid at either Welsh Frankton, Wigmarsh or another location.

Consultation on the plans, which will transfer power from planned windfarms in Powys, started last month.

Steve Elliott, from Aston Rogers, near Marton, a member of the campaign group, said he was asking National Grid to comment on possible health risks.

He said: “The consultation process that National Grid is currently conducting is seriously flawed.

“The consultation period is too short and includes several bank holidays, including the royal wedding.

“The initial letter from National Grid was misleading and incomplete and many people did not receive the letter.

“The consultation feedback form, in effect, forces people to ‘vote’ for the power line to go in someone else’s area, this puts people in an impossible position. It is not the right way to carry out a public consultation.

“The consultation is also being conducted whilst there is an election for the Welsh Assembly Government, so we are unable to tackle Welsh Assembly members on any proposals

“When the National Grid considers the difference in costs of an underground or overhead line it should take into account the whole life costs of 50 years and must include the social, environmental and economic costs, and lower power wastage for underground cables.

“National Grid should be investing in new underground technology.”

By Andrew Morris