The route through Kent chosen for up to 70 electricity pylons to be built between Canterbury and Sandwich has been announced today.

The National Grid said it wants to build the structures - which will each be the height of 11 double decker buses at 165 feet high (50m) - in a so-called North Corridor.

It will connect the sub-station in Broad Oak Road, Canterbury, with another in Richborough, near Sandwich.

The preferred route will run through Upstreet, Chislet, Hersden, Broad Oak and Sturry.

It was today announced today this has been chosen over a South Corridor – which would cut through land in Ash, Elmstone, Wickhambreaux, Wingham and Fordwich.

"I would like to thank the many people who participated in the recent consultation; they gave us varied, detailed and very informative feedback..." - Steve Self, National Grid

The National Grid said it prefers the North Corridor - which it said was the most popular in public consultation - because there is already a line of smaller pylons, which would be removed and replaced with fewer, but taller, structures.

The company said it has the least environmental effect and provides the opportunity to remove the existing UK Power Networks pylons between Richborough and Canterbury.

It said extra ways of minimising the impact of the new connection will now be considered - including potential use of the new T-pylon, which is shorter than the traditional high-voltage pylons normally used.

National Grid project manager Steve Self said: "I would like to thank the many people who participated in the recent consultation; they gave us varied, detailed and very informative feedback.

"We've published a report explaining how we took that feedback on board in our decision making process – it's now on our project website with hard copies available in local libraries and council offices."

He added: "Over the coming weeks and months we'll be out and about, talking to local land owners and occupiers as we gather more information to help plan the route. We'll also keep talking to local people as we develop our plans with more information events and online updates."

The National Grid said the £170million Nemo Link, as it will be known, will tap into much-needed electricity from the continent via Zeebrugge in Belgium.

But the proposal has already alarmed villagers on the possible routes and prompted Canterbury MP Julian Brazier to write to the company and the energy minister.

National Grid said the pylons are needed because they have to carry double the voltage of the existing line.

Some of the north route would site the proposed pylons very close to land in Hersden, Broad Oak and Sturry earmarked in the new draft Local Plan for hundreds of homes.

After the preferred corridor is approved by the company, it will again be put out to consultation and considered by a government planning inspector - who will then pass a recommendation to the Secretary of State.

The company hopes to start construction in 2017.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England Protect Kent has already said the National Grid should consider running cables underground to preserve the countryside.

But this is said to require hugely disruptive excavations the width of a dual carriageway.

The cables sit three feet below the surface to dissipate heat, rendering the land largely unusable for farming.

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