Villagers to protest substation plans tomorrow

People protesting against plans for an electricity substation near their homes intend to demonstrate the enormity of the proposed structures at a rally on Saturday.

Little Dunham Action Group, which was formed to oppose Warwick Energy's plans to create an electricity power transfer station next to Little Dunham, is expecting several hundred people to attend the rally on the village recreation ground.

Paul Gardner, from the action group, said: 'We want to demonstrate to planners the enormity of the proposed structures and to prove that it is completely inappropriate to build this industrial monster next to family homes.

'There is no need to destroy this village, or indeed any other in Norfolk, as the technology exists to build this type of substation away from communities or on existing brown field sites where this plant can be properly accommodated'.

On Saturday protesters will mark out the perimeter of one of the proposed buildings and will also put up a 15m high sign against the backdrop of the village.

'We are totally confident that people will be shocked when we prove the sheer size of the buildings and structures which will be two to three times the height of local housing,' said organiser Emma Kriehn Morris.

They say the proposed substation, which is part of a �1.3bn bid to redistribute power from a proposed wind farm off the north Norfolk coast, would be an eyesore and cause huge disruptions to the small visit.

As well as petition bearing 1,300 names from the surrounding area, more than 200 villagers have written to planners at Breckland Council calling for them to reject a planning application for the scheme, which will be up for discussion at the council's development control committee at a date to be set.

George Freeman, Conservative parliamentary candidate for the new mid Norfolk constituency, will open the rally at 1.30pm.