A NATIONAL power company has confirmed the location of a controversial substation as it outlines plans to build 29 kilometres of giant electricity pylons along the Essex-Suffolk border.

Revived plans to build the new 400,000-volt power lines were unveiled last week after being on hold for eight years.

Plans were first put forward back in 2009 with an aim for completion by 2017, but were halted in 2013.

The plans would see the lines built between Twinstead and Bramford, in Suffolk.

Campaigners against the project at the time had concerns over the pylons and underground cabling’s impact on the rural landscape.

The recent announcement of the project restarting has also sparked fresh concerns from residents over the proposed location of a substation which was previously earmarked for Castle Hedingham.

But now the National Grid has outlined some of the proposals.

The company say old pylons in the area will make way for the new structures and has proposed an area near Sudbury as the substation location.

A National Grid spokesman said: “We are planning to start a public consultation at the end of March.

“We want to keep everyone informed about our plans and to hear people’s views and we’ll publish more information shortly on how to get involved.

“We started to develop our proposals in 2009 and carried out extensive public consultation.

“We paused work in November 2013 after the timings of some generation projects in the region were delayed.

“Since then, the Government has set ambitious targets to achieve net zero by 2050 and expects 40GW of electricity to be generated from offshore wind by 2030.

“Much of this cleaner, greener energy will come ashore in East Anglia and we will need the reinforcement to be in place before the end of the decade to deliver it to homes and businesses.

“The proposed reinforcement is around 29km and includes building new pylons and some underground cables.

“We are also proposing to remove an existing line of pylons owned by UK Power Networks.

“To do this, we would need to build a substation to maintain local electricity supplies.

“The proposed site for the substation is directly off the A131, south of Sudbury near Butler’s Wood. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to explain more about our proposals, the need for network reinforcement and our upcoming consultation.”

The news has been welcomed by Hedingham councillor Jo Beavis.

She said: "I am pleased that Castle Hedingham has dodged the Sub-station and hopefully, in terms of the Hedinghams Ward, that I represent this is another long-standing battle successfully won.

"I am meeting with National Grid and Braintree District Council within the next few days to receive the update on the scheme.

"I know the siting of the Sub-Station was a huge concern of the residents I represent and on those grounds I updated the Cabinet Member for Environment at Essex County Council Full Council Meeting last week."