National Grid Bramford to Twinstead reinforcement: March 2024 update

Specialist Compulsory Purchase Order solicitor, Catherine Hibbert, takes a look at recent updates to the Bramford to Twinstead updgrade of the Great Grid update.

National Grid’s ambition to deliver significant electricity network upgrades in East Anglia to support the Government in its aim to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, has passed a new milestone.

National Grid has submitted a development consent order application for a scheme to construct up to 18km of new overhead line and around 11km of underground network cable through sensitive landscape areas (‘The Bramford to Twinstead DCO scheme’). The aim of this scheme is to improve the network capacity to handle the anticipated increasing volume of electricity landing in this region from new offshore wind generators and the  Sizewell C nuclear facility.

These Bramford to Twinstead DCO scheme has been the subject of a public examination which, after consideration of approximately 200 application documents plus around 600 written representations over the course of the last few months, has just closed. The examining authority, comprising a panel of specialist planning inspectors, will make their written recommendations to the Secretary of State by no later than 12 June 2024; the Secretary of State then has a further three months to consider these representations before deciding with to confirm the Bramford to Twinstead DCO or not.

Assuming the scheme gets the green light in September 2024, work will start in earnest to assemble the necessary title interests to enable delivery of the scheme. Any confirmed DCO will confer on National Grid the necessary powers of compulsory purchase to support delivery of this scheme.

If you are a landowner affected by these proposals, please do not hesitate to contact one of our dedicated CPO solicitors, Mike Harman, Catherine Hibbert or Mel Francis, to review your options going forward.