§ 2.36 p.m.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of the increasing anxiety in the country over the number of applications for planning permission to erect towers up to 150 feet high at short intervals along the lines of the gas mains now being laid by the Gas Council; and of the fears for the effect on amenity of the extension of the system of telemetric control by radio masts along the Gas Council's mains and to the network of gas mains operated by the Area Gas Boards throughout the country.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)Yes, my Lords; the Gas Council are considering adopting a nation-wide radio network for the telemetric control of their pipelines, and provision for aerials is being included when planning consent is sought for the control installations. These aerials would generally require only light, guyed masts which, so far as can be foreseen, should not often exceed 50 feet in height and aerial arrays similar to those for domestic television. Such a system would also require relay points, normally at about 20 to 30 mile intervals and involving masts of 150 feet or more in height, giving line of sight vision with the aerials at the control installations. This form of radio communication system has already been adopted or is being developed not only by the Area Gas Boards, but also by a number of other organisations. 682 Wherever possible, existing sites will be used, and this should be the case more often than not.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, first may I thank the noble Lord for that extremely full and most important reply. Since the adoption of telemetric control of these gas mains is going to be widespread and could even mean, according to my quick calculations, that there will be several hundreds of these masts in different parts of the country—excluding the still higher masts on the coastline, which I do not think the noble Lord mentioned—may I ask him whether he would consider putting in the Library a draft plan showing, so far as he can, the effects for the whole of England and also giving us sketches of the design of some of the pylons which it is intended to adopt?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, certainly I will consider that suggestion. But I do not think it will be possible to do it soon, because there is no draft plan for the whole of the country. I think that I should put in proportion some of the things that the noble Lord has said. Every mast must have planning permission in the usual way. The coastline masts to control the wellheads for natural gas will be few in number, and will be sited only where the pipelines come ashore from the North Sea.
As to the total number of relay points throughout the country, the House need not fear that there will be several hundred masts. The design of the system has not been finally approved on the technical side, but it is envisaged that about 50 Gas Council relay masts will be involved, mostly sharing sites with existing installations. There will also be a number, at present uncertain, of relay masts for such of the 12 Area Gas Boards as may decide to adopt the system. The East Midlands Board wants seven, some of which could later also be used by the Gas Council in a joint installation. But this is not an indication either way of how many masts other Area Boards will want.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, while not wishing to press the noble Lord to-day, may I ask him whether any special consideration is being given to National Parks, and the effect of these lines where they cross National Parks?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, as I said, every mast is subject to planning permission; and in the National Parks there is a special procedure for obtaining planning permission in which the National Parks Authority has a hand.
§ LORD CHORLEYMy Lords, arising out of the Minister's Answer, may I put one or two questions to him? Is he aware that the proposal for the erection of these masts has given a great deal of anxiety to the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, and indeed to the amenity societies generally, and that his reply to-day will not have calmed down that anxiety? He mentioned that some of these masts will be over 150 feet high. In view of the fact that there is a proliferation of pylons and masts all over the country, can he indicate what in fact will be the maximum height of these masts? He has indicated a figure of 150 feet for the loftier relay masts. Can he tell us how many hundreds of the 50-foot masts are envisaged? After all, this is a considerable height in a country district. Further, is my noble friend absolutely satisfied that this is the only method of securing this control? Is there not some other method of securing this which will not involve the pin-cushioning of the whole country with these monstrosities?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, the maximum height of the large relay masts must depend on the lie of the land. The ratio of small masts to large masts must depend on what area can be commanded by the large masts. One might expect that ratio normally to be somewhere between 2 to 1—two small to one large—and 10 to 1. I forget the noble Lord's third point.
§ LORD CHORLEYMy Lords, my question was: is it quite clear that there is no other method of securing this control, except that of putting up these masts all over the country?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, there are of course other methods, particularly land lines or lines along the pipes. The trouble is that if you run a wire along the pipe and the pipe is damaged, the wire is also likely to be damaged at the precise moment when it is most needed.