National Grid Compensation – Brinsworth, High Marnham Uprating Scheme

Are you affected by the 275kV line upgrade to 400Kv between Brinsworth, Chesterfield and High Marnham? If so you may be entitled to National Grid compensation.

Things to Know and to Check on National Grid Compensation:

The Scheme:

National Grid are upgrading their existing 275kV electricity supply between Brinsworth to High Marnham via Chesterfield uprating the network to 400Kv  including creating new sub-stations along the route.

You may have existing National Grid pylons or a sub-station plus cables and other apparatus on your land which may be affected by the Scheme, if so you may receive correspondence from National Grid requesting consent to take access across your land for initial survey works with a view to obtaining new Wayleave Agreements or Easements from you to carry out the Uprating Works once planning consent has been obtained.

Before engaging with National Grid it is important to understand what rights they have and what they do not have. For example your existing agreement may only apply to a 275kV supply?

Access:

Generally National Grid have access along the route of their overhead pylons (at a specific width)  to maintain their apparatus however they may not have access rights from the public highway across your land to move plant and machinery to specific locations. It is important to check your existing agreements to see what access rights are currently in place.

If there is a problem with gaining access to the pylons, National Grid will want to negotiate a permanent or temporary route with you. They would rather do this by negotiation rather than use powers under the Electricity Act.

Be aware the type of heavy machinery used by National Grid may well cause surface damage to your land and crops and therefore any proposed route should be carefully considered with terms negotiated to mitigate the level of damage and so to protect your position. In addition to increased Wayleave payments additional payments could be due for items such as temporary access, storage compounds as well as compensation for disturbance and damage caused.  Ensure you obtain advice on these matters and receive the right level of payments due to you.

If National Grid compensation is unable to be negotiated with the landowner, the Electricity Act gives powers to secure consents.

Claiming for Compensation:

National Grid compensation is payable for losses incurred together with disturbance costs and injurious affection (the reduction in value of adjoining land) under the provisions of section 5 of the Land Compensation Act 1961.

A landowner should be placed in no worse position than before the scheme commenced the scheme is the electric line and not just the land covered by the Compulsory Purchase Order of the necessary Wayleave.

At W T Parker we have extensive knowledge on National Grid Wayleaves and Easements and consider the following areas when preparing a claim on behalf of a landowner affected by pylons, overhead lines and underground cables :-

• Value of the land taken (normal market rules apply)
• Injurious affection, including:
  • Electro-magnetic fields
    • There have been many reports in local and national press on the harmful effects of EMF’s from overhead lines and underground cables and the evidence so far is inconclusive although the it is unfortunately very difficult for the electricity supply industry to prove that there are no harmful effects from their equipment on the perception of the general value of properties under or close to electric lines
  • Visual Impact
    • An electricity line crossing over or adjacent to a property affects its value.
  • Loss of development value
    • The presence of the overhead line could restrict present or future development on the land adjacent to under or over an electric line. It is important to either include for the loss in the compensation claim or reserve the right to make a claim in the future.
  • Loss of use of the land disturbance.
• Disturbance costs
• Legal and Surveyors fees

Any claim should reflect the loss in market value to the owner at the date of valuation whether the payment is periodic or by lump sum. Payment should reflect the loss in value which can be based on the annual equivalent of the reduction in capital value of the property.

W T Parker offers a free no obligation consultation service should you be affected by the National Grid Brinsworth , Chesterfield, High Marnham uprating scheme. We are here to guide you through the process, give sound practical advice while ensuring you obtain full compensation.

For further information call W T Parker, Chesterfield Office – 01246 232156

See our contact us page