CONTROVERSIAL plans to place a corridor of pylons across Sedgemoor were discussed in Parliament this week.

Tessa Munt, MP for Burnham and Highbridge, presented a special motion to fellow MPs on Thursday after winning a ballot to discuss the plans.

The motion highlights the National Grid's proposals to introduce 150ft pylons from Hinkley Point to Avonmouth.

It supports a bill calling for factors other than just cost to be considered when new routes for power cables like these impact on “the visual and other amenity of a landscape”.

It also calls for a public consultation, and for details of the method and technology used for the infrastructures to be released.

Have your say on the pylons plans on-line, at burnhamandhighbridgeweeklynews.co.uk/news.

Before Tuesday's session in Parliament, Ms Munt said: “These mini-debates are a great way of keeping an important issue in the parliamentary and public eye, and I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to speak again.”

Paul Hipwell, chairman of the No Moor Pylons campaign group, said: “We're delighted to see MPs of all parties supporting this bill to ensure that all new power transmission goes underground, just like the way gas and water lines are buried.”

In March, the National Grid carried out a public consultation on the proposals and agreed to consider introducing underground cables instead.

National Grid communications advisor Jane Taylor said an announcement on the route corridor for the pylons would be made imminently.

She said: “Once we've announced the route corridor we'll look at areas to be considered for underground lines.”