ELECTRICITY poles are set to be ‘axed’ in the Staveley and St John’s Vale areas of the Lake District National Park, as part of a multimillion-pound project to run supplies underground.

Electricity North West, the company responsible for the regional electricity network, will dismantle 22 electricity poles that carry 1.9km of overhead lines between Cape Asbestos, near Staveley, and Kentmere Hall, while 29 poles and 2km of wires which run along the fields between Stanah and Legburthwaite (alongside the busy A591 Keswick to Grasmere Road) will be removed.

They will be replaced by two 2km-long networks of underground cables, which will connect homes and businesses in the area to the electricity grid.

The work forms part of a five-year, £5.4m project by Electricity North West to underground lines identified as being most visually intrusive within the National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the North West.

Electricity North West has worked closely with representatives of each area and environment groups to develop the project plans.

The company also consulted with Natural England to ensure that all of the engineering works will comply with their priorities over existing terrain, wildlife and flora. A specialist ecologist has been consulted as the Staveley area contains Himalayan Balsam, which needs to be treated carefully.

Jonathan Booth, asset planning manager, at Electricity North West, said: “This is a fantastic scheme that will make a real difference to this special landscape. As we will be working in a National Park, our engineers will be aiming to minimise disruption and will take into account the need to preserve the natural environment.

“Some of the poles in the St Johns Vale area are in quite treacherous spots, so there is a great deal of skill involved in the project, which will see this beautiful valley enhanced by the removal of this section of overhead network.”

Andrew Herbert, Head of Environment and Heritage at the Lake District National Park, said, “We’re working closely with Electricity North West to look after the stunning landscape of the national park and we welcome these improvements to the visual appearance. I’m sure that visitors and local people will appreciate the work that is being done by our partners to remove overhead lines and open up even better views.”