We support the transition to net zero - but it must be delivered fairly, with proper scrutiny of alternatives, transparent comparison of options, and protection for local communities and our landscapes.

Even if this is not affecting you now, it could do. Unless you don’t travel far from your doorstep, these pylons will become part of journeys many of us make across valued countryside.

Communities across Derbyshire and wider UK communities along the proposed route are facing plans for large pylons and high-voltage cables (50-75 metres high) running close to homes, farms, and valued landscapes. Residents are being asked to absorb major infrastructure impacts within a compressed consultation window and without being properly heard together.

It is currently a proposed route within Derbyshire, meaning its exact line is not yet fixed and could still change as the planning process develops - and in that sense, it could still affect areas near you.

This is a once-in-a-generation decision. Signing this petition alongside the UK-wide campaign ensures our collective voice is visible, joined, and harder to ignore. Communities across the country face similar challenges - together, we are stronger.

This petition is for residents of:

All Derbyshire Residents.

What’s at Stake

Across Derbyshire and wider UK communities along the proposed route, including Belper (Over Lane), Morley, Upper Hartshay, and surrounding areas, proposals would introduce pylons and cables 50–75 metres high, in some cases close to homes, cutting through landscapes that people live in, work in, and value every day.

This would mean:

•  Permanent changes to landscapes, skylines, and countryside character
• Fragmentation of wildlife habitats and ecological corridors
• Infrastructure remaining in place for decades, with potential future expansion
• Loss of valued landscapes outside protected areas that still deserve proper consideration 

Why This Matters Now

Routes remain under review, meaning more communities could still be affected.

• Only 56 days to review 1,000+ pages of complex documents
• No access to independent expert or legal support for residents 
•  National Grid has years of preparation, funding, and specialist expertise
• Limited opportunity for Stage 2 communities to fully understand impacts
• Ongoing uncertainty due to potential route changes 

Key Information Gaps Include:

• Missing Section 1-5 meeting recordings and lack of published answers from those meetings, meaning consultation discussions are not fully available in the public record
• Maps that do not clearly show real local impacts on homes, farms, and businesses
• Large volumes of complex documents with limited accessibility
• Newly affected communities encountering the process for the first time
• Residents are reporting that households who have not received formal legal land interest notices were not aware of the proposals affecting their area, and are only becoming aware through word of mouth and local community discussion
• Early financial impacts are being reported, including concerns about reduced property marketability, perceived impacts on valuations, and difficulties with mortgages or refinancing. This is happening despite no final decisions being made, and with limited clarity at this stage on how compensation would apply, who would be eligible, or when it would be accessible 

Modern Energy Solutions Must Be Fully Considered First

Before irreversible infrastructure is locked in, modern alternatives must be properly assessed, including:

• Energy storage
• Smart demand response
• Local renewable generation
• Flexibility services 

This must include independent technical expertise, local stakeholders, and other energy industry partners with relevant solutions and approaches, ensuring all viable options are fully explored and transparently assessed.

Only where these options are insufficient should new infrastructure be considered - and even then, underground or offshore routes should be the default and subject to full transparent comparison with overhead options.

Why Collective Action Matters

• National Grid has extensive resources, funding, and legal backing
• The consultation including feedback process is developer-led
• Individual concerns risk being diluted without coordination
• A united community voice is more visible, credible, and harder to ignore 

 How to Act – Make Your Voice Count

If you live in Derbyshire:

   👉 Sign this borough, district and county council petition → now below ⬇️ 

   👉 Sign the UK Government petition too → Pause pylon projects and bring in regulations to provide community support
This separate UK Government petition ensures national-level visibility alongside local council representation, so the issue cannot be addressed only at a local stage. 

If you live outside Derbyshire - even if this is not affecting you now, it could do:

 👉 Sign the UK Government petition → Pause pylon projects and bring in regulations to provide community support

We, the Undersigned, Call For:

We call on Derbyshire’s borough, district, and county councils to oppose National Grid’s Chesterfield-Willington pylon proposals and support a pause until fair consultation, modern alternatives, and meaningful local involvement are in place.

We ask for:

1. A pause on further development until fair process, protections, and full alternative assessment are completed
2. National independent oversight of consultation to ensure fairness, transparency, and consistency
3. A national community advocate providing free technical and legal support
4. Full transparency on local impacts, including financial impacts on households, farms, and local businesses from the point routes are proposed, and clear early-stage information on any compensation frameworks, eligibility, and timing where applicable
5. Stronger Stage 2 protections, including a minimum six-month consultation period and independent support for newly affected communities
6. Full consideration of modern energy alternatives first, including engagement with independent experts, local stakeholders, and other energy industry partners with relevant solutions
7. Underground or offshore routing where no better option exists
8. Stronger national standards for all future infrastructure projects to ensure fair consultation, transparency, and community voice 

By signing, you show support for the petition’s aims and the collective concerns of your community.

• Note: Your local borough may not support all actions in this petition - every signature still helps show the scale of concern.

How Your Data Will Be Managed

1. Signatures and submissions will be collected securely and submitted directly to the relevant borough council and county council, grouped by postcode within each borough boundary, ensuring your voice is counted locally
2. Your personal information will be handled in accordance with GDPR and used solely for validating signatures and sharing community views with the council
3. No data will be shared outside these official processes

For Further Information

​🌐 Website: Stop the Pylons Derbyshire

Stop The Pylons Website

​📘 Facebook: Stop the Pylons Derbyshire

Stop The Pylons FB Public Page​ 

Stop The Pylons FB Group