National Grid’s Norwich to Tilbury Great Grid Upgrade 

“ The Planning Inspectorate (and Examining Authority) held a public hearing at Chelmsford Racecourse for a period of 3 days  from 23-25 June. That hearing is now closed but a recording is available on the Planning Inspectorate web site for this DCO application here

The next critical and final date for submission of representations to the Planning Inspectorate is midnight 7 July 2026

The Parish Council encourages individual parishioners and others who may seek to make further representations to review the current and revised plans submitted to the Inspectorate for pylon locations, containment areas, access roads, on site and off site planting and environmental improvements, underground lines, etc , to review the revised submitted documents available on line. 

Areas of land seeking to be compulsory acquired have also been revised since original application of the DCO.  

It may also be helpful to review such plans on the applicant’s web site and interactive plans here

Please note should you seek to make further representations to the Planning Inspectorate, you will need a unique representation identity number by registration with the Planning Inspectorate

May the Clerk be copied in on any representation and  any submission parishioners may make to the Planning Inspectorate 

Thank you”

Application by National Grid Electricity Transmission for an Order Granting Development Consent for the Norwich to Tilbury Project

Click here for more information about public meetings

National Grid’s Norwich to Tilbury Great Grid Upgrade is a proposal by National Grid Electricity Transmission (National Grid) to reinforce the high voltage power network in East Anglia between the existing substations at Norwich Main in Norfolk, Bramford in Suffolk and Tilbury in Essex, as well as connect new offshore wind generation. 

Click here to view the interactive map route and huge amount of land that will be taken by the project. Additionally, the disruption to the roads and services along the route will be hideous!

Read here about the local impact the pylons and the work will have on YOUR community.


You WILL be able to see the Pylons from anywhere in the Parish, and they will be HUGE


This is interesting – this map shows, in blue the area, the land which from which the proposed pylon alignment will be visible ‘Zone of Theoretical Visibility’.  I don’t have Heather’s email address – could you show her please.

It’s a tricky map to read, but effectively the structures will be visible as far south Hatfield Peverel Station so anyone in Terling who thinks this won’t affect them is in for a surprise.   . This is a screenshot but the link to the document is here (Figure 13.4 page 8 of 11 – near the end of the huge document).

https://www.nationalgrid.com/ele…/document/154656/download

The purple hashed circle highlights, in the middle,  the Cable Sealing Ends at Fairstead (huge!!).


This is a genuine response from a local constituent:

Dear National Grid

We already have several lines of pylons visible from our hamlet in rural Essex and more in the local environment. This is a beautiful part of Essex with gently rolling hills of farmland and many woods. It does not deserve to be further despoiled by the disturbance which will be caused by the construction of the proposed pylons, but also the permanent eyesore that these will provide.

Generally, the Norwich to Tilbury pylons project would bring severe harm to the environment, communities, landscapes and heritage of East Anglia. Alternatives such as offshore grid and undergrounding of cables have not been presented for consultation. 

In my view, therefore, this is NOT a genuine consultation, as the decision on the way forward already seems to have been made. A proper consultation would be honest and open about the pros and cons of all possible approaches to this project.

How true is that!!

Important presentation document by Terling and Fairstead Parish Council members available here – it explains a lot!

December 2023 Project update from The National Grid here

Link to National Grid Document Library

Terling and Fairstead Parish Council response dated 16 June 2022

Terling and Fairstead Parish Council response dated 15 August 2023

Links to other sites
East Anglia Pylons
Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons