Stage 2 Statutory Consultation under Section 42 of the Planning Act 2008 and the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedures) Regulations 2009
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Tuesday 13 May 2025
Dear Parish Clerk,
Eastern Green Link (EGL 3) and Eastern Green Link 4 (EGL 4) – Stage 2 Statutory Consultation under Section 42 of the Planning Act 2008 and the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedures) Regulations 2009 (the APFP Regulations), as amended by The Infrastructure Planning (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2024.
Notification under Regulation 13 of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (the EIA Regulations).
At 12pm on Tuesday 13 May 2025, National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (NGET) will be opening a Statutory Consultation in accordance with Sections 42 and 47 of the Planning Act 2008 (“the Act”) for our proposed Eastern Green Link 3 (EGL 3) and Eastern Green Link 4 (EGL 4) projects. The consultation will run for a period of six weeks closing at 11:59pm on Monday 23 June 2025.
The EGL 3 and EGL 4 projects
EGL 3 and EGL 4 are two offshore high voltage electricity links between Scotland and England with converter stations and associated onshore infrastructure.
NGET is seeking your feedback on our detailed proposals for these projects, which we have developed using feedback from our stage 1 (non-statutory) consultation and the results of environmental assessments and technical surveys.
Our proposals include onshore infrastructure located in the districts of East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland, Fenland, and King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, and offshore infrastructure in English waters.
This onshore infrastructure includes underground cables running together from a joint landfall at Anderby Creek, in East Lindsey on the Lincolnshire coastline, to the Walpole area, in West Norfolk. Two converter stations, a substation and supplementary works to connect the substation to the existing overhead line, are also proposed in the Walpole area.
The proposed offshore elements in English waters include two high voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cables. EGL 3 and EGL 4’s subsea cables would extend from Sandford Bay, Peterhead in Scotland and from Kinghorn, Fife in Scotland, respectively, to a joint landfall at Anderby Creek on the Lincolnshire coastline. We will be seeking permission for each project's offshore proposals in English waters together with the onshore elements of EGL 3 and EGL 4 in England.
NGET is no longer proposing a converter station and direct current switching station near Bilsby, East Lindsey. This would have provided a three-ended link for either EGL 3 or EGL 4. NGET's separate Eastern Green Link 5 (EGL 5) project is now proposing a new converter station in this general area.
EGL3 and EGL4 would, on completion, transport enough clean energy from Scotland to power up to four million homes in the Midlands and the South of England. EGL 3 and EGL 4 would help to meet Government targets to reduce carbon emissions, increase our country’s energy security, and carry cleaner and more affordable energy to where it is needed.
You can learn more about the projects by visiting nationalgrid.com/egl3andegl4
The English elements of EGL3 and EGL4 projects are nationally siginificant in accordance with Section 35 of the Planning Act 2008, which require an application for development consent to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The development consent being sought will include a number of other provisions, including those which authorise the compulsory acquisition of land and rights over land, if necessary, to construct and maintain the Scheme.
We are contacting you because you are a Prescribed Consultee in accordance with Section 42(1) of the Act and Schedule 1 of the the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009, as amended by The Infrastructure Planning (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2024. This is therefore a formal notice that we are holding a Consultation under the Act.
In advance of our application for development consent, this Consultation is required under Section 42 and 47 of the Act. Concurrent with the Section 42 Consultation, we are undertaking consultation with the public under section 47 of the Act and in accordance with a Statement of Community Consultation that is available for inspection by the public at the locations identified in Table 1 below from Wednesday 7 May and notice of the publication of which has been published in local and national newspapers.
We are also consulting on the potential environmental effects of the proposals. This information is detailed in the Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR). An Environmental Statement will be produced subsequently in accordance with the EIA Regulations and will accompany the application for development consent. The Scheme is an “EIA development” for the purposes of the EIA Regulations. Regulation 13 requires NGET to send your organisation a copy of the notice which is being published in accordance with Section 48 of the Act, and this is enclosed.
Our stage 2 (statutory) consultation for EGL 3 and EGL 4
Our stage 2 (statutory) consultation will open at 12pm noon Tuesday 13 May and will close at 11:59pm Monday 23 June 2025 and is an opportunity to share your views on our proposals for EGL 3 and EGL 4.
Between April and July 2024, we held an initial stage of consultation, known as a non-statutory consultation, on our early proposals. Feedback from this consultation, alongside the outcome of technical and environmental studies, has helped to shape our updated proposals.
During this second round of public consultation, we hope to engage with as many residents and stakeholders as possible and will be publicising our consultation and holding in-person and virtual consultation events. More information on how we intend to consult the community can be found in our Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) which can be viewed on our Project website.
We will also continue to communicate with and update landowners and occupiers who are potentially impacted by our updated proposals. Our lands suppliers Ardent will be assisting us with this and have dedicated communications channels for any queries landowners may have – egl3and4@ardent-management.com and 0203 693 2500.
Other NGET projects in the region
NGET will also be holding a separate stage 1 (non-statutory) consultation for the Eastern Green Link 5 (EGL 5) project, from Tuesday 13 May – Monday 23 June, the same time as EGL 3 and EGL 4. The proposed onshore elements of EGL 5 would be in the district of East Lindsey, Lincolnshire.
As you will be aware, in 2024 NGET held a stage 1 (non-statutory) consultation for the separate proposals for the Grimsby to Walpole project. The Grimsby to Walpole overhead line would route generally in the same direction at the EGL 3 and EGL 4 cable route to the Walpole area. Grimsby to Walpole, EGL 3 and EGL 4 are jointly developing the new Walpole B substation as all three projects require it. Between June and August 2025, the project will be holding its stage 2 (statutory) consultation on its updated proposals.
NGET will also be holding a stage 1 (non-statutory) consultation on early proposals for the Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire project between June and August 2025. Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire is a proposed network reinforcement, carrying enough electricity into the Midlands to power up to 6 million homes. The EGL 3 and EGL 4 cable route passes east of Weston Marsh.
If you are a prescribed consultee for these projects, you will be notified in writing.
Digital poster
Please find attached a digital Consultation newsletter and a digital poster that you can share via your networks. These documents include details of all our in-person events and webinars, as well as our contact details. If you would like to request hard copies of the Community newsletter or poster, please do so by replying to this email (contactegl3and4@nationalgrid.com).
Where to find information
Documents which provide further details of this Consultation and our proposals can be viewed online via the document library on our website at nationalgrid.com/egl3andegl4
Reference copies of the Statement of Community Consultation and other key consultation materials will also be available to view free of charge from Tuesday 13 May 2025 for the duration of the Consultation at the following locations in the vicinty of the project: |
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Prior to attending these locations, it is advised opening times are checked
Digital and paper copies (including alternative format copy) of consultation materials and documents can be provided on request by contacting us by email at (contactegl3and4@nationalgrid.com) or by telephone at 0800 298 0405. Please note that paper copies will be subject to a reasonable copying charge.
Offer of briefing
We would like to offer you the opportunity to receive a briefing from the project team, where they will talk you through our proposals and answer any questions you may have.
We will be holding a virtual briefing invite for parish councils on our proposals for EGL 3 and EGL 4, from Frith Bank to South Holland, at 12pm – 1pm on Wednesday 21 May. You can register for the event via this link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/235ff4df-8f8c-4bb9-84bf-2bd841e19fb7@7768bca1-9fc1-4f38-b39e-e75e9aebb498
Share your views
We would welcome your feedback on our proposals. You can provide feedback by emailing contactegl3and4@nationalgrid.com, sending a letter to Freepost EASTERN GREEN LINKS 3 & 4 or via online and hard copy feedback forms.
The deadline to provide feedback is 11:59pm on Monday 23 June 2025.
We will review the proposals for the projects in light of the feedback we receive as part of this consultation and will consider if changes are needed to further reduce the effects on communities and the local area, before we make our application for development consent.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely, |
Please also see attached files: