Foxford community group says 'No' to pylons

A COMMUNITY group in Foxford has been established to say 'No' to any proposals by EirGrid for an overhead electricity line in the area.

Public consultation is open on the North Connacht 110 kV Project, which will add a new overhead electricity line or underground cable in the region. The line will run between existing substations near Ballina and Ballaghaderreen.

Seven possible routes have been identified, with three running underground and four overhead.

Foxford Against Pylons is a community group that has been set up to oppose the erection of overhead power lines and pylons in the Foxford area.

The group has a Facebook page where it states that to make sure for the health and safety of the people of Foxford and to maintain the area's beautiful scenery, it needs EirGrid to choose an underground route.

'Underground is the only option', the page states, and it poses a number of questions, including 'why should we put our health at risk by living underneath this?' and 'why overground in such a scenic place when we were told to bury our houses in the hills to avoid disruption to the skyline?'

The page has invited people to post pictures of their views that might be disrupted by overhead lines, double poles and pylons, to 'let them know what a stunning part of rural Ireland we live in and how they will destroy our landscape'.

EirGrid has extended its public consultation on the project to December 11.

An online survey is available and the action group is asking locals to request that the line be placed underground.

EirGrid is writing to 41,000 homes in the study area, providing them with additional information on the project and guidance on how they can provide feedback. The views submitted by the public on the proposals, along with results from further studies, will help identify the best option to take forward to the planning process.

Telephone clinics continue to be available for the duration of the consultation period and additional webinars have been scheduled on the following dates: Tuesday, December 1, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, December 3, at 6 p.m.; and Monday, December 7, at 8 p.m.

For more information on the project, visit http://www.eirgridgroup.com/NorthConnachtProject.