There is a lot of emotion involved when it comes to buying a house; it needs to be in the right location, be large enough for a family and, for some buyers, the issue of overhead power lines may be off-putting. So should you buy a house near power lines?
This also extends to buying a house close to an electricity substation.
One of the issues over living close to power lines is that a study in 2002 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) looked at the evidence as to whether living close to electricity power lines would cause cancer.
They declared that there was a possible cause of childhood leukaemia for those who live near power lines – but there was not enough evidence for them to come to a clear decision.
The different types of power lines in the UK
But before we explore the issue of should you buy a house near power lines, we need to look at the different types of power lines in the UK. There are different types based on their voltage level, structural features and purpose.
You will see these different types either in your neighbourhood or when travelling – they aren’t all wires carried on wooden poles! The main types are:
400kV and 275kV power lines
These are the largest and highest voltage power lines in the UK, owned and run by the National Grid. They are carried by large, steel lattice pylons that can be seen across the countryside. They transmit electricity to regional substations from where it is generated, such as power stations or wind farms.
132kV power lines
These are smaller power lines, usually owned by Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). They can be carried by smaller steel pylons or wooden poles. They feed from the larger power lines and transport electricity to local substations.
66kV and 33kV power lines
These are also smaller power lines, owned by DNOs. They can be found on steel frames or wooden poles. They are designed to feed from the 132kV power lines and supply electricity to rural areas and towns.
11kV power lines
These are the smallest high-voltage power lines in the UK, usually mounted on wooden poles. They are owned by DNOs and feed from the 33kV power lines. They are often found running close to public footpaths, roads, and residential properties. They supply electricity to homes and businesses.
There are also lower voltage power lines (415 volts and 230 volts) that are used to connect consumers to the electricity network. These are usually underground cables or overhead wires attached to wooden poles.
These are the type that we have, and we recently had them replaced by the electricity provider. Living in a rural location means we don’t have an underground electricity cable network to tap into. Instead, around our house are lots of poles with electrical wires.
The one directly coming to our house is a lower voltage line, then the ones a little further away are the next level up.
So, you shouldn’t automatically assume that above-ground power lines are all the same. In fact, if you live outside an urban area, you’re much more likely to see lots of above-ground lines.
What to consider before buying a house near power lines
Whether to buy a property near power lines isn’t as simple as yes or no. It’s a decision that everyone has to make for themselves. But don’t worry, we won’t leave you alone with it.
There are things to consider that will help you to make the right decision.
Type of power lines
As we have seen above, there are different types, some of which are a necessity while others are more of an eyesore.
The two lowest voltage lines (11kV and 415 or 230 volts) you will see a lot in more rural areas. We have both of them near our house. The 11kV runs along our road on the other side of our home and across the farmer’s field on the other side.
Then we have a lower voltage power line that connects directly into our house. Both of these are necessary if we want electricity. So these shouldn’t put you off buying a house. You are less likely to encounter these in an urban area.
On the other hand, living close to the large steel pylons might not be very desirable and put you off your dream home.
We have power lines very close to our property, with some running almost over the top of our land. However, we don’t see them as an issue since, being rural, they are the only way to get electricity to our home.
We don’t really have any concerns about the lines falling down either as the power company have confirmed to us that they are coated lines that wouldn’t cause too much of a safety concern.
Impact on property value
For different reasons, many people don’t want to live near power lines. This inevitable has an impact on the value of the property, as the pool of potential buyers is smaller.
Various surveys put this price reduction at between 2% and 9%.
Despite a drastic reduction in property valuation for homes within 100 metres of a high-voltage overhead transmission line, a longer marketing time was also observed (Sims & Dent, 2005).
Additionally, prospective buyers may mirror the sentiments of the respondents of the Cotton and Devine-Wright’s 2013 study. That is transmission lines are an eyesore and reduce the visual aesthetics of the surrounding communities.
When we bought our home, we didn’t see any reduction in value due to the proximity of the power lines. Though admittedly that’s because ours are the small, low-powered lines essential for connecting properties to the main supply in a rural location. Had we have been within 50m of the larger steel pylons, of course, that might have been a different story.
As a buyer, you might find the lower price appealing, as you could get your dream home in your preferred area for less than you thought. It might even allow you to buy a bigger home than you hoped for.
But keep in mind, if you do buy the home, you are likely to sell it at some point. And then the impact on the value will work against you. It’s a decision only you can make.
Proximity to power lines
Another question to consider is how far away are the power lines?
Under the current laws, it’s recommended not to live closer than 50m to a high-voltage power line as living within 50m is considered to be a safety risk. This doesn’t include the low-voltage lines, as the risk is much lower.
However, even if the house is 60m away, living next to a large high-voltage steel pylon is different from being able to see it in a distance from your upstairs windows.
It might still not be the nicest view, but how much would it really bother you? On the other hand, if it dominates your view, you might consider it a compromise too far.
Again, it’s a question of preference and needs to be considered.
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What the science says
The main reason many people don’t want to live near power lines is because they are worried it could be dangerous or impact on their health. So we turn to science to find out the facts.
As we have mentioned, a 2002 study by the IARC found that there might be a link between living near power lines and childhood leukaemia. But they also said that there wasn’t enough evidence to say for certain.
However, the findings fuelled a distrust of power lines despite experts and power companies stating there is no risk and the World Health Organisation also looked into the issue and supported the IARC’s evaluation – WHO says they found ‘no significant health issues’ at the levels the general public is being exposed to.
But this didn’t quell the fears of many homebuyers and the debate is still raging.
Some researchers have since pointed to studies that suggest there is a potential link between the magnetic fields that power lines give off with childhood leukaemia, but there is still no firm scientific evidence for this link.
A 2005 report submitted to the Official Journal of the American Academy of Paediatrics further supports the non-causal relationship between childhood leukaemia and power lines.
However, it doesn’t discount the following hypotheses as the causes of childhood leukaemia in relation to EMFs: the flow of electric current in the bone marrow and disruption of melatonin production in the pineal gland.
The issue is that power lines emit a type of radiation that is known as extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) but there’s no explanation for how these EMFs could possibly cause leukaemia.
Indeed, a large international study in 2018 of overhead power lines and childhood leukaemia also found there was no connection with cancer – even for young people living within 50 metres of a power line.
Additionally, a 2013 study titled Adult Cancers Near High-voltage Overhead Power Lines combed through 35 years worth of observational data in relation to distance to high-voltage power lines in England and Wales.
It determined that there were no risks for leukaemia, central nervous system and female breast cancers, as well as malignant melanoma in adults.
In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive has published a useful resource on their website that some people may find reassuring. The site has facts and figures which will reassure potential home buyers – and homeowners.
Verdict – Should you buy a house near power lines?
There is no one answer. There are things to consider, like what type of power lines they are and how close they are. The official government recommendation is to live at least 50m away from high-voltage power lines.
Essentially, if the property is more than 50 metres away from power lines then you should have nothing to worry about and have the opportunity of buying a dream home that may cost a little bit less than other properties in the neighbourhood.
Nor should you have any concerns if you have the smaller, low-powered lines near or even on your property – especially if you live in a rural location.
This is what we have, and it’s entirely normal. In fact, it’s an essential part of living in the countryside if you want to be connected to the grid!
However, it’s a question of preference and what you feel comfortable with. After all, it’s going to be your home. But hopefully, this article has given you all the information you need to decide.
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