Mr Johnson enquired about the need for the Mid Wales Connections Project.

I believe that your letter is in response to consultation on electric lines being undertaken in the Mid Wales and Shropshire by National Grid and Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN). The wind farms which are to be connected by these electric lines are at various stages of application through a number of consenting bodies.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are considering and will have given permission for applications for wind farms over 50MW which were submitted prior to the creation of the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) in March 2010.
The IPC are responsible for applications for wind farms above 50MW from March 2010.
Powys County Council are responsible for wind farm applications under 50MW.
The National Grid Mid Wales Connections and SPEN Mid Wales Connections projects are currently at the 'pre-application' stage of our process, as set out in the Planning Act 2008. During the pre-application stage, there is a duty on the developer to undertake consultation with people living in the vicinity of the proposed project, and to have regard to responses to that consultation. In order for comments to be taken into account at this stage, comments and responses should be directed to National Grid and SPEN as the developers of the projects.
The Infrastructure Planning Commission's (IPC) role at the pre-application stage is to provide advice about the process of making an application, or the process of making a representation about an application. Whilst we are happy to be copied in on any comments you make to the developer, we are unable to provide legal opinions or comment on the merits of the project or national policy. This ensures the impartiality of the IPC and protects the interests of all parties involved in the application process. All advice that we give is recorded via an advice log, in line with s.51 of the Planning Act 2008. This log is published on our website. attachment 1
With the above in mind, may I therefore suggest that the queries set out in your letter are raised directly with the developers of the Mid Wales Connection projects is appropriate. The National Grid project team can be contacted on 0800 019 5325 or by email at [email protected]. There is also a project website; attachment 2 SPEN project team can be contacted on 0800 988 9174 or by email at: enquiries@spmidwalesconnections.
There is also a project website: www.spmidwalesconnections.info
Your local council also plays a role in the process at the pre-application stage and we would encourage you to copy to the council any comments you send to the developer at the pre-application stage. Further information on this and how you can be involved in the developers? consultation is detailed in advice note 8.2, this can be found at: attachment 3.
Once the pre-application consultation duties are complete, the developer may submit an application to the IPC. The IPC has 28 days to decide whether to accept the application to proceed to the examination stage. This decision is based on whether, amongst other matters, the pre-application consultation has been adequate. When making a decision on whether the pre-application consultation has been adequate, the IPC will have regard to:
· National Grid and SPEN?s consultation reports;
· Any comments on the adequacy of consultation submitted by relevant Local Authorities; and
· The extent to which National Grid and SPEN have followed the guidance published by the IPC and the Secretary of State.
If an application is accepted for examination by the IPC, you are able to become directly involved in the examination of an application. A suite of advice notes has been published providing information on how and when members of the public can become involved in the planning process and have their say. In particular, advice note 8.3 provides information on how to register and make a written representation. This can be found at:
attachment 3.