What are allowable grounds for objection to a powerline proposal?
6.1 If there is an inquiry, government usually sets out “relevant matters” which determine the grounds for objection. They naturally include all the usual impacts, such as on visual amenity, health, tourism, agriculture, flora and fauna, in addition to matters of cost and of formal planning policy. Importantly, they also include identifying a better alternative. 6.2 At the strategic level, it is not easy to contest “need” for the development. Increasingly in the UK and elsewhere decision processes are being streamlined, tending to avoid or reduce local objection on questions of national need. The idea is that over-riding national need, whether for powerlines or motorways or airport terminals, would be decided by national government, so that local objections could only be to the detailed location or route or form and not to the existence of the project. However, “need” has been admitted as a consideration in recent major inquiries. 6.3 The strategic context is also important and may war
