Section 42 Planning Act 2008 (as amended): Duty to consult on a proposed Application

The Infrastructure Planning (Applications and Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 (as amended)

Notification under Regulation 13 of  The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017

National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (NGET) writes in relation to the launch of a further consultation in accordance with sections 42 and 47 of the Planning Act 2008 (as amended) for its proposed Sea Link Project (“the Project”). The consultation starts on 08 July 2024 and runs until 23:59 on 11 August 2024.

NGET intends to submit an application for an order granting development consent for the proposed Project which involves the reinforcement of the electricity transmission network between Suffolk and Kent, predominantly via an offshore High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link, but with onshore elements to connect into the transmission network. The proposed Project is split into three key elements, as follows.

The Suffolk Onshore Scheme

• A connection from the existing transmission network via Friston Substation, including the substation itself. Friston Substation already has development consent as part of other third-party projects. If Friston Substation has already been constructed under another consent, only a connection into the substation would be constructed by the Sea Link project.
  
  
• A high voltage alternating current (HVAC) underground cable of approximately 1.9 km in length between the proposed Friston Substation and a proposed converter station (below).
  
  
• A 2 GW HVDC converter station up to 26 m high plus external equipment ( (such as lightning protection, safety rails for maintenance works, ventilation equipment, aerials, similar small scale operational plant, or other roof treatment) near Saxmundham.
  
  
• An HVDC underground cable connection of approximately 10 km in length between the proposed converter station near Saxmundham, and a transition joint bay (TJB) approximately 900 m inshore from a landfall point (below) where the cable transitions from onshore to offshore technology.
  
  
• A landfall on the Suffolk coast (between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness).

The Offshore Scheme

• Approximately 122 km of subsea HVDC cable, running between the Suffolk landfall location (between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness), and the Kent landfall location at Pegwell Bay.

The Kent Onshore Scheme

• A landfall point on the Kent coast at Pegwell Bay.
  
  
• A TJB approximately 800 m inshore to transition from offshore HVDC cable to onshore HVDC cable, before continuing underground for approximately 1.7 km to a proposed new converter station (below).
  
  
• A 2 GW HVDC converter station, up to 28 m high plus external equipment ( such as lightning protection, safety rails for maintenance works, ventilation equipment, aerials, and similar small scale operational plant, or other roof treatment), near Minster. A new substation would be located immediately adjacent.
  
  
• Removal of approximately 2.2 km of existing HVAC overhead line, and installation of approximately 3.5 km of new HVAC overhead line from the converter station and substation near Minster and the existing Richborough to Canterbury overhead line.

The Proposed Project also includes modifications to sections of existing overhead lines in Suffolk (only if Friston Substation is not built by SPR) and Kent, diversions of third-party assets, and land drainage from the construction and operational footprint. It also includes opportunities for environmental mitigation, compensation and enhancement (which could include hedgerow creation, native tree planting, or habitat creation). The construction phase will involve various temporary construction activities including overhead line diversions, use of temporary towers or masts, working areas for construction equipment and machinery, site offices, parking spaces, storage, accesses, bellmouths, and haul roads, as well as watercourse crossings and the diversion of public rights of way (PROWs).

Further consultation
The further consultation will focus on the design changes proposed following the previous statutory consultation which took place between 24 October and 18 December 2023.  Following the statutory consultation, NGET has been reviewing feedback and making a series of refinements to Project proposals. The proposed changes are grouped into four categories that include permanent infrastructure; construction and maintenance work; mitigation, enhancements and approach to biodiversity net gain; and strategy for coordination.

In summary:

• changes to the proposals in Suffolk include an alteration to the cable route north of Aldeburgh, confirmation of the proposed access route to the Saxmundham converter station and changes to the selected access route and associated bridge over the River Fromus. We are also proposing various changes to construction and maintenance access routes, compounds, and temporary overhead line diversions, and have introduced new areas of land for environmental mitigation and enhancement. The strategy for coordination with other third-party proposals in the vicinity has also evolved
  
  
• changes to our marine proposals include refinements to the cable route, the introduction of additional marine areas for construction vessel manoeuvring, and changes to the approach for backfilling marine trenches
  
  
• changes to our proposals in Kent include an increase of the overall maximum height of the converter station and confirmation of the type of pylon we intend to use for the connection to the Richborough to Canterbury 400 kV overhead line.  We have also identified a further construction and maintenance access route off Sandwich Road via the former hoverport and are proposing various other changes to construction and maintenance access routes, compounds, and temporary overhead line diversions. New areas of land for environmental mitigation and enhancement have also been added to our proposals.
  
  

We have also made a range of smaller changes to our proposals. These include various refinements, including reductions and increases to the size of the draft order limits, which comprise the land we would need to build and operate Sea Link. We are also providing further detail on our construction methodology, including changes to planned working hours.

Development Consent Order Application
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy directed on 31 March 2022 that the Project is to be treated as development for which development consent is required. NGET will therefore apply for a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State, now known as the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (the “Secretary of State”) for the proposed Project. The development consent being sought will include a number of other provisions, including those which authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, and the compulsory acquisition of rights in, on or over land, if necessary, to construct, operate and maintain the proposed Project.

During the pre-application process, we (NGET) must consult with a variety of persons and organisations about our application in accordance with the requirements of section 42 and section 47 of the Planning Act 2008 (the “Act”), Regulation 3 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 (the “Regulations”), and Regulation 11 of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.

This update is formal notice that NGET is holding a further consultation on the proposed Project under the Act. The consultation will run from 08 July 2024 until 23:59 on Sunday 11 August 2024 and we invite responses on or before the closing date.

Concurrent with the section 42 consultation, we are undertaking consultation with the public pursuant to section 47 and in accordance with the approach set out in a Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) which is available to view on the proposed Project’s website. The SoCC allowed for future targeted consultations in accordance with the principles and methods set out therein.

The Notice of the publication of the SoCC was printed in local and national newspapers during the statutory consultation period which ran from October to December 2023 and this process has been repeated for the forthcoming further consultation with a notice advertising the SoCC having been published in local and national newspapers.

The proposed Project is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development, as defined by The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (as amended).  Regulation 13 requires us 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 with this letter.

As part of the further consultation we are seeking views on the potential additional or different environmental effects of the amended proposals and if consultees have suggestions for reducing these effects (for example, through mitigation measures). This information is detailed in the Additional Preliminary Environmental Information. An Environmental Statement will be prepared subsequently in accordance with the EIA Regulations and will accompany the application for development consent.

Comments on any other aspect of the Project are also welcome.

Further Consultation documents
The further consultation will begin on 08 July 2024 and ends at 23:59 on Sunday 11 August 2024.

Below are the following materials, which provide further details of this further consultation and our proposals:

• A copy of the Sea Link community newsletter.

As set out above, we also enclose a copy of the formal newspaper notice of the Application in accordance with section 48 of the Act and Regulation 4 of the APFP Regulations.

Documents providing further details about this consultation and our proposals can be viewed online at: www.nationalgrid.com/sealink.  Reference copies of the SoCC and all other consultation material swill be available to view from the 8 July for the duration of our further consultation at the locations identified in the enclosed s48 notice.

Consultation webinars
During the consultation period, a series of public webinars will be held. These webinars will provide an opportunity to hear further details about the Proposed Project and raise questions with members of the project team. Dates, times and locations for these events are provided on our website.

Responding to the further consultation

The further consultation is running between 08 July 2024 and 23:59 on 11 August 2024.  We encourage you to respond before the closing date.

You can return a free text response via email to [email protected] or post to Freepost SEA LINK.

Requests for paper copies of the technical documents will be reviewed on a case by-case basis. To cover printing costs a reasonable copying charge may apply, to be paid for by the recipient and up to a maximum value of £300 for the whole suite of further consultation documents. These can be requested by contacting the Project Team by email at [email protected], or by calling 0808 134 9569.

Please get in touch with us using the details below if you would like a printed or alternative format copy of the materials.

• Telephone: 0808 134 9569
• Email: [email protected]

The proposals for the Project will be reviewed in light of the feedback we receive as part of this further consultation and will consider if changes are needed before we make our application for development consent.

We may be required to make copies of representations available to the Secretary of State. We will however request that personal details are not placed on the public record. Personal details will be held securely in accordance with the applicable data laws and will be used solely in connection with the consultation process and the development of this Project and, except as noted above, will not be disclosed to any third parties.