The Government will slash bills for people living near new energy infrastructure (Image: Getty)
Homes near major new projects could be eligible for a £2,500 discount in their under the government’s plans to boost clean energy and housebuilding. People living near energy production sites including transmission cables and substations could have up to £250 deducted annually from their bills over a 10-year period, if their properties lie within 500 metres of the developments. The government is counting on the measures to boost community support for the schemes, which are aimed at achieving ‘s pledge to substantially boost clean power by 2030.
However, naysayers have warned that the plans could cause wide disparities between neighbouring towns and villages by creating a sliding scale of Westminster support. Communities in Suffolk and Kent will be among those impacted by the deductions, thanks to the proposed Sea Link high-voltage cable between the two counties, alongside towns and villages between Norwich and Tilbury if the National Grid’s bid to build a 114m chain of overhead lines and pylons is approved.
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Energy bills could be slashed for some households by £250 a year (Image: Getty)
The same will be the case for neighbours of the Grimsby to Walpole project, an 87m electricity line between Lincolnshire and Norfolk, and the Brinsworth to High Marnham Uprating scheme, which would involve the creation of three new substations in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Energy secretary Ed Milliband has described the scheme as a “landmark commitment” that will “benefit the whole country by ensuring we build the clean power system we need”.
“The only way to make Britain energy secure and bring down bills for good is to get Britain off dependence on fossil fuel markets and replace it with clean, homegrown power that we control,” he said. “To do this, we need to get Britain building right now.”
The initiative will also instruct developers to provide extra benefits for communities near infrastructure projects by funding local sports clubs, educational programmes and leisure facilities.
Pressure group End Fuel Povery Coalition has warned that the plans could be disadvantageous to towns and villages that fall just outside the 500-metre zone, however.
“We already see large disparities in energy bills under the current system linked to network charges different firms are allowed to add to bills, but a combination of this new proposal and suggested zonal pricing could turbo charge the discrimination,” a spokesperson warned.
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The UK areas where energy bills could be reduced:
Suffolk
Kent
Norfolk
Essex
Lincolnshire
Norfolk
South Yorkshire
Derbyshire
Nottinghamshire