Consultations and reports
Norwich to Tilbury consultation
Statement on Targeted Consultation 2025
National Grid is currently undertaking targeted consultations on sections of the proposed Norwich to Tilbury project in Essex. They are considering some localised changes to the alignment and design of the proposed overhead powerline as it passes through the county. Most of these changes have been identified following the feedback from last summer’s statutory consultation along with the consideration of the findings from environmental and engineering surveys.
The consultation runs from 12 noon Tuesday 25 February to 11:59 pm on Thursday 27 March 2025.
Visit the National Grid website to find out more about the proposed changes and how to comment.
Previous consultations
Read our response to the:
- statutory consultation - July 2024 (PDF, 179.25 KB)
- second non-statutory consultation - August 2023 (PDF, 175.26 KB)
- scoping report - December 2022 (PDF, 197.15KB)
- first non-statutory consultation - June 2022 (PDF, 1.04MB)
An independent review of National Grid’s options appraisal for the Norwich to Tilbury NSIP was commissioned jointly by:
- Essex County Council
- Norfolk County Council
- Suffolk County Council
You can read the report containing the review in full (PDF, 1.45 MB) or a non-technical summary (PDF, 134.64 KB) that has been written jointly by the three county councils.
Leaders of the three councils have issued a joint press release in response to the independent report.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for NSIPs
Essex County Council has commissioned two reports to evaluate the feasibility of requiring developers to achieve a 20% BNG. This is an increase from a proposed minimum 10% figure. These reports, funded by government grants, will be shared with developers, planners, and scheme promoters to serve as an evidence base for advocating enhanced BNG. NSIP Promoters will be expected to include in proposals at the earliest opportunity how they will meet this 20% requirements.
For further details, refer to the following reports:
- Viability Assessment of Biodiversity Net Gain in Essex (PDF, 2.08 MB)
- Essex BNG Evidence for Need (PDF, 408.18 KB)
National planning policy for energy
The government have issued new national planning policy for energy. All renewable energy projects, which include the proposed Norwich to Tilbury NSIP, are now critical national priority. New national planning policy also contains a strong starting presumption for the use of overhead power lines outside of protected landscapes. Visit gov.uk to read the national policy statements for:
The government recently consulted on the site selection process for a new national policy statement for nuclear energy generation referred to as EN-7. Read our response to the consultation (PDF, 238.68KB).