Strong public turnout for National Grid consultation with formal objection by MP

The strong public engagement explored the “major electricity infrastructure set to help meet the region’s growing energy needs”.

Residents who potentially could end up living next to a 50m pylon were also given the chance to have their say on an offer of £250 discount on their energy bills for 10 years and other ‘community benefits’.

Widespread input from residents across Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk was received during the eight-week consultation.

The end of the consultation also saw MP for Boston and Skegness Richard Tice submit a formal objection to National Grid’s Stage 2 consultation for the Grimsby to Walpole project.

Feedback will be used to see what changes National Grid can make to the proposals – which has already faced opposition from community groups such as No Pylons Lincolnshire.

National Grid says the projects are needed to deliver homegrown, more affordable electricity to where it is needed, helping to meet the rising demand for electricity, while increasing Britain’s energy security.

Across Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Norfolk, more than 3000 people attended public information events and online webinars and more than 2000 pieces of feedback were submitted to help shape clean energy projects.

Public consultations for five major electricity infrastructure projects in Lincolnshire have now concluded. Grimsby to Walpole and Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire consultations closed on August 6, following on from the Eastern Green Link 3&4 (EGL3&4), and Eastern Green Link 5 (EGL5) project consultations in June. National Grid maintains these upgrades to the grid are vital to increase Britain’s energy security and meet growing demand for electricity in the years ahead, with the nation’s electricity needs expected to double by 2050.

The detailed feedback numbers and attendance numbers can be found in the table below.

Grimsby to Walpole

Pieces of feedback received – 1014

1280

Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire

Pieces of feedback received – 797

People attending in person and online – 842

EGL3&4

Pieces of feedback received – 242

People attending in person and online – 892

EGL5

Pieces of feedback received – 80

(*The exact number of feedback is subject to change over the next two weeks, to accommodate for feedback forms posted on the date.)

Ben Muncey, Portfolio Director for National Grid, said: “We’ve hosted community events and online webinars, and are grateful to communities who took the time to give us their valuable feedback. The project teams will analyse every piece of feedback received to see what changes we can make to the proposals.

“Across Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and the wider region, we will build partnerships and invest in skills and employment opportunities. We want to leave a positive socioeconomic legacy alongside reliable grid infrastructure connecting homes and businesses to more affordable, renewable energy generated here in Britain.

“We believe communities which host new electricity infrastructure should benefit from doing so. Millions of pounds will be available to benefit local communities and the wider area from these projects.”

Alongside feedback on the proposals, National Grid asked communities to provide their thoughts about potential community benefits to help shape how the funding allocated to each project could benefit residents and community groups. In line with the recent Government guidance, with residents living next to a pylon receiving £250 off their energy bill for 10 years, communities hosting overhead lines should benefit from £200,000 per km of new overhead line, and £530,000 for each substation or converter station.

National Grid will consult again next year on more detailed proposals on the EGL5 and Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire projects. Feedback about National Grid's plans for EGL3&4 and Grimsby to Walpole, which are at a more advanced stage, will be carefully considered and used to inform the detailed proposals that will form part of National Grid's planning application submissions when those are made. Project websites will be updated in due course with consultation updates and next steps for each project.

In the meantime. regarding the formal objection submitted to National Grid by Mr Tice, he said: “I completely oppose the use of intrusive overhead pylons across Lincolnshire’s countryside, especially when nearby projects like Eastern Green Link 3 & 4 are proposed to go underground along a near-identical route.

“Lincolnshire should not be treated as a convenient corridor for pylons just because we’re rural. These plans threaten our environment, our visitor economy, property values, and productive farmland.

“I’ve called on National Grid to rethink this approach and fully underground the Grimsby to Walpole line. Our communities deserve fairness and protection.”