People living near new pylons in Great Britain could get £250 a year off energy bills
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Government hopes to avoid backlash against upgrade of infrastructure as it tries to grow UK economy.

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People living near power cables could receive £250 a year off their energy bills as the UK government hopes to speed up construction of infrastructure vital to the transition away from fossil fuels.

Households within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power infrastructure could receive up to £2,500 over 10 years under Labour government plans that aim to prevent a backlash against .

It came as the government also promised to reduce the number of government bodies whose advice is needed for planning applications for housing or for energy.

The building boom is particularly important for the energy minister, Ed Miliband, as he plots a rapid shift to renewable power generation. Energy companies that operate Great Britain’s electricity grid have promised to  in order to link wind turbines and solar panels to homes, offices and factories.

The power lines will be crucial to achieving the government’s target of making the . Yet the government is also braced for a backlash, and will create community funds to build facilities such as sports pitches and youth centres in affected areas, under plans first reported by the Times.

Alex Norris, a housing and communities minister, told Sky News on Monday: “As part of our plan for change, around being a clean energy superpower, we’re clear that communities need to share the benefits.

“If you are making that sacrifice of having some of the infrastructure in your community, you should get some of the money back,” he said. “So we’re making that commitment of £250 a year if you are near those pylons. We think that’s a fair balance between people who are making that commitment to the country themselves, and how they should be rewarded.”

The money, received through discounts on energy bills, is expected to be in place from 2026, the government said.

The government also said that it was consulting on preventing statutory bodies such as Sport England, Theatres Trust and The Gardens Trust from advising on planning decisions, in an effort to speed up building. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said advice would be limited to heritage, safety and environmental protection.



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