RENEWED efforts are to be made to help rid one of the most spectacular landscapes in the country of unsightly overhead lines.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is in line for an estimated £3m windfall to hide the cables underground.

Electricity industry regulator Ofgen is in the process of allocating funds for “undergrounding” in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

And although the Dales’ share has yet to be confirmed, residents and visitors are being asked to suggest areas where cables should go underground in the next few years.

Planning policy officer Thomas Harland said: “It takes a long time to plan an undergrounding scheme. This is because it’s hard to find a line that doesn’t create some challenges – whether due to cost, disruption to local communities, wildlife, archaeology, or for technical and logistical reasons.

“This means we need to start working with the power suppliers to plan the next set of schemes as soon as possible – so we’d like to hear suggestions.”

He added: “We can’t make any promises because it is common for any combination of the above challenges to undermine scheme feasibility.

“However, once we’ve got some ideas, we’ll sit down with the electricity companies and see which ones they can take forward.”

As part of an existing £1.8m five-year scheme, the National Park has worked to put a number of overhead lines underground, including some from Dent Station to Cowgill and from Grimwith to Stump Cross.

Other schemes that are on-going include lines in Upper Wharfedale from Deepdale to Beckermonds and in Ribblesdale on Swarth Moor.

Anyone wanting to put forward a suggestion can contact Mr Harland on 01969-652378 or at thomas.harland@yorkshiredales.org.uk.