Plug pulled on plan to install Wellingborough electric substation near homes after residents raise concerns

A plan to install an electric substation near homes in Wellingborough won’t be pursued after residents raised concerns.

They were told by National Grid that the site between 37 and 39 Weavers Road was chosen as the planned location for a new electric substation, to replace one currently on the Weavers Academy premises.

Following pushback from residents the plug was pulled on the plans – but the way it was handled has been criticised.

One resident, Yordanka Valkova, said: “It truly affected me psychologically and mentally despite them having stopped the project.

"Had I not written that email to get the detail, they could have just installed the monstrosity and affected me for generations ahead forever.”

A letter was sent to her address that was penned on January 18 outlining the intention to build an electricity distribution substation, which would have measured 2.7m wide on the door side, 2.4m deep and 2.5m high.

It would have been placed adjacent to a nearby alleyway which leads to Cottesmore Way, which is often used by students to get to school.

Residents highlighted issues with the plan relating to public footfall in the area, property devaluation, noise pollution and radiation concerns.

Yordanka said: "It’s because of this radiation and the noise pollution coming from it, nobody wants to live next to a substation.

"This decreases your property value, you can’t even sell your property because people don’t want to live near something like this.

"This would affect everybody who walks around here. I have children myself who would also be affected.”

Avnish Shah, the son of Yordanka’s neighbour at 39A Weavers Road, also expressed his displeasure at the situation.

He said: “Three weeks from getting the letter to potentially starting is not enough time for anyone to consider what’s going on.

“They’re not actually giving us any information.”

Such issues were raised with National Grid, who swiftly pulled the plug on the development to find an alternative solution.

A National Grid Electricity Distribution spokesman said: “Maintaining a reliable and safe electricity supply for customers is our number one priority, so when it became clear that the existing substation at the school was in need of an upgrade, we examined several options.

“One of these was an alternative site owned by North Northamptonshire Council but after taking into account the views of nearby residents, we decided not to pursue it.

“We are now planning to build the new substation at the school. Legal discussions with the school concerning this are ongoing and are making progress.”

While the intention is now to install the substation in the school, questions were raised as to why the plans between 37 and 39 Weavers Road were submitted if talks with the school were ongoing.

The spokesman said: “When we need to replace network infrastructure, we review sites in light of operational requirements and we looked at the alternative site owned by North Northamptonshire Council in light of this."

Weavers Academy insists that it does ‘want to agree a lease with National Grid and our lawyers have been engaged with them for nearly a year’, and that the initial lease application submitted required corrrections to be viable.

A school spokesman said: “Once National Grid provide the agreed finalised lease then they will of course be supported for essential works, however this cannot interrupt school operation and will require coordination.”