National Grid digs holes in spring barley field just days before harvest
16th August 2024
Richard Langton said contractors came in without prior warning and dug two holes in the field, despite being asked to wait until the spring barley had been harvested.
Suffolk farmer Richard Langton, who farms 1,250 acres at Little Wenham, was due to start combining malting barley by this weekend. But before harvest could start, National Grid contractors drove onto the field and dug two square holes, he told BBC Farming Today.
The work was carried out as part of survey work for a proposed pylon line from Norwich to Tilbury.
The proposals have been controversial, and include a 114-mile power line to carry electricity from off-shore wind farms. The 50m high pylons will cut through Richard’s land, with eight being constructed on the farm.
Conditions broken
Whilst National Grid environmental survey teams are an essential part of any proposed infrastructure project, and they are allowed on private land, there are conditions attached.
Richard’s daughter Georgina Langton-McColl, said the contract states that they have to provide at least 48 hours’ notice before coming onto the land.
Speaking to Farming Today, Richard said two people wearing hi-vis came onto his land with a large digger and carved a “huge hole around 8m wide in the middle of the crop”.
They dug down half a metre, and have since covered up the hole, he added.
National Grid blamed a communication error and said the farm will be compensated for any lost crop.
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Very disappointed
Commenting on feelings about the work, he said: “I was slightly irate to be honest. It’s been enough of a problem this year getting crops to harvest after the winter we’ve had so I was very disappointed to see this.”
He added: “They know they can’t come in on a standing crop, they had to wait and they’ve only got days to wait, it’s not like it’s going to be months away.
“I feel that National Grid have been very arrogant, and just thinking they can come in here digging holes in land without the landowner’s permission.
“It just smacks of arrogance and a big company bulldozing their way through the countryside thinking they can get away with anything they want.”
Stressful time
Georgina also told the programme: “They [National Grid] seem to be blindly going ahead and undertaking these large invasive surveys.
“At a time of year when it’s a very stressful, fraught time for farmers anyway when they can’t necessarily respond and interact with requests.”
Responding to Farming Today, National Grid said: “The landowner had asked us to wait until harvesting. On this occasion this was not communicated to the survey team and a small section of their land was accessed. We have apologised to the landowner and will compensate for any loss of crop.”
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