UNDERGROUND electricity cables look likely to be installed under the sand at Freshwater West with a planning application recommended for approval by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The authority’s development management committee meets next week to discuss the Greenlink Interconnector Limited application which will link the UK electricity grid with Ireland.

A section of the route is in the National Park area, from the mean low water mark at Freshwater West beach to the park’s boundary near Neath Farm.

At its June meeting it was decided to carry out a virtual site due to the application being considered as an environmental impact assessment development, classed as major and of public interest.

At the virtual meeting on Wednesday, July 15 a verbal report in response to issues raised by Valero is expected.

A planning report states that correspondence from Valero Energy Ltd indicates that the proposal “crosses an operational high pressure multi fuel pipeline and ancillary apparatus” which could see its use disrupted.

This, and concerns about bio-security, soil temperature and top soil compaction, have been passed to the agent to address.

Pembrokeshire County Council also have two applications to cover the proposed route from Neath Farm to converter station site and for the new converter station structure which is to be linked to the National Grid connections near to the existing RWE Power Station.

The plan has also required a separate application a marine licence for the off shore works which has been submitted to Natural Resources Wales.