Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report which set out the basis of the County Council’s objection to the non-statutory consultation held between 18 January and 13 March 2024 by National Grid Energy Transmission (NGET) for the proposed Grimsby to Walpole new 400kV electricity overhead transmission line and associated substations.

Councillor C J Davie, Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment and Planning introduced the report and noted that National Grid had briefed the Executive after its meeting in January, where information in relation to the financial costs of the three options had been requested by the Executive.  The Executive Councillor advised that this information had so far not been forthcoming from National Grid. 

The Head of Planning presented the report and advised that the report provided an outline of the information which had been provided by National Grid, it also set out the procedure for the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.  it was noted that this would be a long process, with the application due to be submitted in 2027.  This was the first stage of the consultation, and there would be at least two more stages at which the Council would be able to provide comment.

During discussion by the Executive, the following was noted:

·       The Head of Planning provided a more detailed explanation of the DCO process.  it was explained that the developer would come forward with their proposals and would go through a number of different rounds of consultation.  They had started with a non-statutory consultation, which was very high level and set the scene for what their proposals were and the preferred route.  This stage would gather feedback so the developer could look at narrowing the route down for the next stage.  It was expected that the next stage of consultation would take place towards the end of 2024/start of 2025, this would have a more definitive route and involve undertaking surveys of the natural environment, historic environment etc.. The statutory consultation would take place in 2025 where the developer would have more details about the needs of the proposal.  It was expected that the application would be submitted in 2027 and there would be a six-month examination period where interested parties could register to take part.  The period from application to decision was expected to take around 12 months, with a decision expected in 2028.

·       It was commented that National Grid were consulting on their preferred option.  It was recognised that there was a need to get the power from the wind farms in the North Sea to where it was needed.  The query was whether National Grid had already ruled out the sub sea option due to cost.

·       Officers advised that the second recommendation on this report was that the Council reviewed the strategic options and obtain further information.  The developer had jumped to the conclusion that pylons were the most suitable solution.  There was a high level of concern that other options had not been fully considered.  The Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment and Planning was liaising with a number of MPs to put together a letter.

·       It was commented that energy stability was something which should be supported and there was a need to transport power to the east coast.  However, members found it concerning that for Scotland and other areas National Grid were proposing an undersea route which would then come onto land in North East Lincolnshire.  It was noted that there would be no local benefits from this.

·       There were concerns about how many additional substations to the ones proposed may be needed.

·       The social and financial impacts on communities would be huge.  These would be costs that the county council and district council would need to pick up.

·       The consultation document listed energy items which would be needed, and it was queried whether it was known what they were or how large they would be, as this would not just be pylons, other developments and infrastructure would be needed.  Officers advised that so far they were only aware of one or two of these other developments.

·       There would be many parishes which would be directly and negatively affected by this proposal.

·       It was queried why the cable could not go undersea all the way to Walpole.

·       There were various points along the route that passed through county farms land and the tenant farmers were extremely concerned that they would lose some of their land and were looking for reassurance that this route would not pass through any county land.

·       It was commented that a further issue was not just the loss of land directly underneath the pylon, but also the loss of usable land surrounding it as that land could not be used either.

·       It was noted that National Grid were trying to avoid directly affecting any properties with the proposed route.

·       It was queried what the current rules were regarding a safe distance from electricity pylons, and officers advised that this would come out from the report that the Council would commission.

·       It was also suggested that they would interfere with mobile phone signals, as well as air traffic control.  It was also queried how the MoD would be affected by this proposal.  Officers advised that they would be discussing this with the Civil Aviation Authority.  It was highlighted that some wind farm proposals had not progressed due to similar concerns to these.

·       The Leader of the Council advised that the Council would be prepared to legally challenge the whole process if necessary.

·       It was confirmed that the Council would be working in conjunction with other councils that would be affected by this proposal.

·       It was commented that there had been previous successes with energy companies, for example, the proposal for Triton Knoll was originally for substations and pylons, but following consultation, the proposal was amended to underground cabling.

·       It was commented that it was possible for substations to be located offshore, and the power could be routed out to sea to then join land at Tilbury in order to get the power to the south of England.

·       Concerns were reiterated regarding the additional infrastructure that would be needed which could have significant negative effects on towns in the east of the county, as well as concerns that some of the best land in the county could be lost permanently.

·       For clarity, it was noted that for 100kv pylons, a 100m safe zone was needed from them, which meant a 200m wide corridor through the countryside.

·       It was highlighted that councils in Essex and Suffolk had commissioned similar independent reviews, and officers advised they would make contact to obtain further details and start the dialogue on this.

·       All members of the Executive were strongly in support of both recommendations in the report, to object any onshore overhead line proposal, and to commission an independent review of the strategic options report, which it was suggested should be carried out as a matter of urgency.

RESOLVED

1.    That based on the detail set out in the report, the Council submits a formal objection to any onshore overhead line proposal;

2.    That the Executive recognise and supports Officers in commissioning an urgent independent review of the strategic options report included within the consultation document to enable the Council to challenge the reasoning for the strategic options approach that dismisses the subsea and underground cabling alternatives to the proposed onshore overhead line.

3.    That the Council submits a formal response with covering letter and copies it to all MP’s, Secretary of State for Energy, the Chairman of Ofgem, Leaders of all District Councils and any similarly affected councils.