Great Grid Update: January 2025

Catherine Hibbert, specialist Compulsory Purchase Order solicitor, takes a look at the latest update regarding the Great Grid Upgrade in East Anglia, including updates to the Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme.

National Grid plans, later this year, to submit its formal application for a development consent order (DCO) to authorise the reinforcement of the national grid in East Anglia, including by the creation of approximately 183km of new electricity cable, in order to enable the transport of an increased volume of green power generated from renewable sources around the UK. This will support the UK’s aspirations to meet its Net Zero targets.

National Grid hopes to submit its DCO application in 2025; if the proposal is approved, the intention is to start construction work in 2027 with the intention of the reinforcement equipment becoming fully operational by 2031.

Recent communications from National Grid to affected communities indicate that, following the formal statutory consultation period in mid-2024, they have identified some specific locations where they want to introduce some localised changes to the published 2024 statutory consultation plans. National Grid indicate that they will write directly to affected residents in due course and offer them the opportunity to comment on these proposed localised changes ahead of the formal submission of the DCO application; they say they will also provide details of such proposed further changes on their project website Norwich to Tilbury | National Grid ET . With one exception relating to The Waveney Valley, information about any emerging, localised changes to the plans is yet to be published.

National Grid confirmed that they are no longer considering an underground cabling option for the Waveney Valley, despite having given consideration in the 2024 statutory consultation to both an overground and underground cabling option in this area. National Grid reported that in reaching this decision they considered statutory consultation feedback and ground investigation and environmental survey data before concluding not to pursue the undergound option further, for factors concerning potential environmental harms, cost to the consumer and planning policy. The efforts of the Waveney and Little Ouse Recovery project to re-naturalise the river channel were also acknowledged by the scheme promoter. The National Grid website states that further discussions will take place with stakeholders affected by this decision before National Grid finalise their DCO proposal over the coming months.

If you are concerned about how these proposals will affect you, please do not hesitate to make contact with our dedicated team of knowledgeable CPO and DCO solicitors.