A PROJECT by National Grid to remove eight pylons and bury them underground on Hale Purlieu has stalled.

National Grid has decided to pause work on its landscape enhancement project after advice from legal experts, the regulator and its independent Stakeholder Advisory Group.

It says the decision has been made due to "emerging complexities surrounding the European regulations" that protect the natural habitats of protected species.

In a statement, the National Grid said: "While these regulations are designed to prevent the permanent loss of habitats, and not stop short-term work that we believe could have provided a net gain to the environment in which we were working, it is evident that the legal position is complex and, importantly, untested for a project of this nature. It is therefore unlikely that a planning application for this project would receive approval before the funding deadline."

The work is part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project, which makes use of £500m provision from Ofgem, and aims to reduce the visual impact of existing overhead transmission lines.

It would have seen the eight pylons removed and replaced with underground cables.

David Wright, the director of electricity transmission at National Grid, said: “This project would remove eight electricity pylons while enhancing a nationally important landscape, and potentially improving and extending the important habitats in this beautiful part of the New Forest National Park. It has been developed over three years with the close collaboration and support of many local people and national environmental bodies. Our extensive community and stakeholder engagement throughout has shown strong support for these plans.

“However, the current round of funding is only available for a limited time, and due to what we believe is an unintended consequence of the regulations it has become clear that we will not be able to complete this in time.

“We would like to thank everyone for their engagement and involvement to date and sincerely hope that it will be possible to return at some future date when the legal position has been resolved.”

The chairman of the Stakeholder Advisory Group and leading environmentalist, Chris Baines, said: “After three years of extremely intense work, it is disappointing to have to recommend pausing this project.

“There has been terrific support from many local people and environmental professionals, and I remain convinced of the long-term landscape and environmental benefits of this scheme. I do believe that it remains possible in the longer term to deliver exceptional visual improvement whilst at the same time enhancing the wildlife habitat at Hale Purlieu.

“However, there is a need to build confidence in the legal process before the project can move forward again.”

Residents set up the Protect Hale Purlieu Movement and a petition was also started against the plans.

National Grid says it will continue to progress its other VIP projects to replace pylons with underground alternatives in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Peak District and Snowdonia National Parks.