Ban on building homes near power lines mooted

Ministers could face calls for an outright ban on the building of new homes near overhead power lines.

This is in prospect now a group set up two years ago by the Department of Health (DoH) is about to publish recommendations on the best way to protect public health.

This body, known as the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (Sage), was formed following a study which uncovered as statistical link between living close to power equipment and the incidence of childhood leukaemia. However, that study offered no physical explanation for the link.

According to the Daily Telegraph, a draft of report of the group's final report due to be finalized shortly calls for a minimum distance separating new houses and power lines. According to the newspaper's report, the draft stated that siting homes within 230 feet of high voltage power lines and 115 ft of lower voltage cables should be banned.

Sage includes representatives of the DoH, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), mortgage lenders, pressure groups and the National Grid.

A spokesman for ODPM said: "We take advice on this issue from the Department of Health and the experts. That is why we have set up Sage to consider all the evidence and we will take their advice seriously."

A spokesman for National Grid said: "Sage has representatives from public concern groups - who advocate greater precaution - as well as from the energy industry, government departments and the Health Protection Agency. The group has not yet reached a conclusion and is expected to report to government in June."

Roger Milne

4 May 2006