HUNDREDS of acres of rural Herefordshire - including areas of outstanding natural beauty - are to be bought and dug up over the next two years to lay one of Britain's longest gas pipelines.

The Hereford Times can confirm this week that that gas supplier Transco has Herefordshire as the "preferred route" for a new national grid pipeline that will run from Milford Haven to Gloucestershire.

Transco has the power to make compulsory purchases of land the proposed pipeline will pass under. The Country Landowners Association (CLA) and the National Farmers Union have been in talks with the Transco project team over purchase terms.

Landowners can expect compensation - with a base figure yet to be set - and indemnity covering any losses. The CLA is also offering help with the "massive hassle factor" of pipeline engineering across productive land

Transco says that the project is in the final stages of its feasibility study, but confirms that Herefordshire was the preferred route, with a final decision expected sometime in the next two weeks.

But David Price, CLA assistant regional director, told the Hereford Times that the decision was, effectively, a done deal.

"This pipe will be buried into farmland and countryside down the Golden Valley, across the Wye Valley and South Herefordshire," said Mr Price.

"Particular care will needed through the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the CLA will be vigilant about that," he said.

The four-foot wide pipeline will be one the longest laid in Britain. Initial indications are that it will cros about 100 kilometres of the county from Hay-on-Wye to Peterstow, near Ross-on-Wye, and on to Gloucestershire.

Transco says that the new pipeline is needed to meet soaring national demand. With the UK running low on North Sea gas, supplies from abroad will be landed at Milford Haven and then piped through into the national grid.

The pipeline will be built within the next two years.

First told of the project by the Hereford Times, Hereford MP Paul Keetch said he wanted to meet with energy ministers to "seek clarification" of the route.

"While accepting the need for gas, we need to very careful about the siting of such a large pipeline," he said.

Transco has ultimate compulsory purchase powers to put pipelines on private land. The CLA and farming organisations have, for more than 30 years, negotiated a package that offers significantly better terms than those available under compulsory purchase procedures. The 2005 national agreement represents a further step forward and offers all those affected:

l A binding indemnity covering any loss arising from the pipeline

l Equitable compensation.

l Payment for all fees "reasonably incurred".