THOUSANDS of people have had their say on controversial plans to put a new 400,000 volt overhead power line across the North Somerset countryside.

More than 3,000 people have responded to the consultation by National Grid on its plans to erect the new line from Bridgwater to Avonmouth to bring electricity from the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point onto its transmission network.

The energy giant is looking at a series of options for the new line – complete with towering 153ft pylons – along two route corridors.

These could include decommissioning the existing 132,000 volt overhead electricity line, which runs parallel to the M5 between Bridgwater and Avonmouth, and adopting the same route for the 400,000 volt line.

The second option is to construct a new 400,000 volt line parallel to the existing line.

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nother option to create a new power line to the east of the existing line is also being put forward.

A consultation was launched in October and closed at the end of January with more than 2,000 feedback forms, 1,100 letters and emails and 100 telephone calls being received by energy bosses.

National Grid has now started examining the feedback which, along with the engineering and environmental considerations, will determine which corridor is chosen.

The decision on which route corridor is to be used is expected to be announced in the next two months.

As part of the consultation more than 38,000 households were sent information about the project, 4,500 people attended the 17 public exhibitions held along the route corridors, presentations were given to local councils.

The proposals sparked outcry from residents and a number of campaign groups have been launched in an attempt to fight the pylon plan.

Campaigners say the power lines should be put under the Severn Estuary, but National Grid has dismissed the idea saying it would cost £1.9 billion compared to £656 million to put them overground.

National Grid major project manager, David Mercer, said: "We are in the very early stages of planning this project and the main objective of the public consultation has been to gather the views of the local community.

"No decision has been made about which route corridor option will be taken forward so this feedback from the public will help to inform that decision.

"Obviously cost is a very important consideration but it is only one factor when we look at the options for the connection.

"We will be aiming for a route which has the best balance of community, environmental, engineering and financial factors."