Working with landowners, occupiers and other affected parties
We're committed to developing successful working relationships with landowners and occupiers and we want to work closely with you as we develop our proposals for this essential electricity network reinforcement.
We will keep you updated as the project progresses and we encourage you (or your representatives) to liaise with us if you have any questions.
Survey information
Surveys are an important part of our work as we continue to develop our proposals. They help us to understand more about the environment and local aspects that may influence how we design our detailed proposals. The findings of these surveys, along with feedback, helps us to refine our plans. The surveys also inform the Environmental Statement (ES) which is one of the documents we’re required to submit as part of a Development Consent Order (DCO) application.
We are carrying out many different types of surveys, and you may see some of our team working along the proposed route over the coming months. Carrying out surveys does not mean we have started any construction activity. We are still at the development stage of the project and need to apply for planning permission, which we expect will be in summer 2025. We would not start any construction work until after we have consent.
Cottam to Wymondley
Our overhead line running between Cottam Power Station in Nottinghamshire and Wymondley in Hertfordshire, has been in service since the mid-1960’s.
Over the next 2 years, we will be completing some essential refurbishment work to ensure that the line continues to provide a safe and reliable supply of electricity to homes and businesses in the area in the years to come.
Project description
The overhead line running between Cottam and Wymondley is approximately 170km in length. In the first phase of works, we will be replacing the wires that run between the pylons on the 90km stretch between Cottam and Ufford, near Peterborough. In 2023, we will complete the rest of the works, refurbishing the remainder of the overhead line between Peterborough and Wymondley.
The main refurbishment work for the second phase will take place from the Spring of 2023 and we expect all works on this phase to be complete with land reinstated by early November 2023.
Our experienced contractor, Morrison Energy Services will be carrying out the work and our working hours will be Monday to Friday, 7am-6pm with alternate weekend working.
Delay to phase four of the project
Our main works this year were due to take place between April and November 2023. However, due to constraints out of our control, we are not able to carry out phase four of the work at this time. This phase is between Eaton Socon substation and Wymondley substation.
We have applied to the system operator to secure an outage to complete the works. Once we have secured the dates and can resume work, we will notify all relevant stakeholders and update this web page.
How will these works affect me?
The refurbishment work will have no impact on power supplies in the area.
We aim to complete the works with minimal disruption to local communities. Most of the pylons are on farmland but where the pylons are closer to individual homes and businesses, we will notify the occupiers of those properties in advance.
National Grid’s Community Grant Programme
Our Community Grant Programme is aimed at organisations and charities in areas where National Grid’s work impacts on local people through our operations and site activities.
We fund projects run by charities and community groups that meet local community needs by providing a range of social, economic and environmental benefits. If your project meets our criteria, you can apply for a grant of up to £10,000. To find out more click here.
Our surveying involves the drilling of boreholes or the excavation of trial pits in order to assess ground conditions in some areas of the route. These types of surveys are called Ground Investigation (GI) works and are used to determine which soils and rocks are present in the area. They are also used to monitor the types and quantities of water, gas and vapour, which may be present in the ground.
GI works for Norwich to Tilbury are undertaken by National Grid’s appointed contractors. The information gathered during these surveys will be used to identify and understand engineering constraints, the ecology of the area and any environmental considerations that could influence the routeing of the new electricity transmission infrastructure.
After GI works are completed the land is returned to use and any samples gathered are tested, with the data and results forming part of our Environmental Statement (ES), which will be submitted as part of the suite of documents that form our Development Consent Order (DCO) application.
We're carrying out a range of surveys along the proposed route. This includes conducting traffic, transport, and public rights of way surveys along the proposed route. This means you may see some radar and data traffic counting equipment as well as some of our people collecting information. We don't use these surveys to collect any personal data.
Some ecological and environmental surveys can only be carried out at specific times of the year. For example, wintering bird surveys are usually carried out between November to February, as they determine the species and numbers of birds which migrate over this season.
We are currently undertaking the following surveys:
| Survey type | Survey locations planned within the month (Parish) |
| Arboriculture surveys | Ingatestone and Fryering, Stock, Writtle, Billericay, Moutnessing, Thurrock, Langham, Dedham, Raydon, Wenham Magna, Stratford St Mary, Little Waltham, Great Waltham, Broomfield, Little Bromley, Ardleigh, West Horndon, Rivenhall, Silver End, Great Bromley, Little Bromley, Feering, Herongate and Ingrave, Little Burstead, Great Horkesley, Little Horkesley. |
Archaeological surveys | Raydon |
| Ecology surveys | Billericay, Stock, Bracon Ash, Margaretting, Gislingham, Mendelsham, Mountnessing, Little Burstead, West Horndon, Ingatestone and Fryering, Essex, Gipping, Stowupland, Bramford, |
| Ecology dormice | Fairstead, Mountnessing, Thurrock, Little Horkesley, Great Horkesley, Offton, Feering, Langham, Higham, Little Waltham, Burgate, Badley, Barking, Stratford St. Mary, Writtle, Somersham, Battisford, Great and Little Leighs, Bramford, |
| Agricultural land classification surveys | Rivenhall, Witham, Feering, Great Tey, Coggeshall, Fairstead, White Notley, Great Horkesley, Little Horkesley, West Bergholt, Fordham, Silver End, Cressing, Fairstead, Marks Tey, |
| Borehole | Little Waltham, Coggeshall Hamlet & Feering, Great Horkesley, Wortham, Wickham Street, Fairstead, Ardleigh |
| Trial Pit / Infiltration Pit | Langham, Fairstead, Great Horkesley, Southfields & Orsett |
| Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) test | Ardleigh, Little Bromley, Colchester, Cordwell, Dunton, Swardeston |
| Window Sampling Borehole | Chatham Green, Hapton, Tacolneston, Wortham, Boyton Cross, Chelmsford |
| Cone Penetration Test (CPT) | Southfields & Orsett |
National Grid tries to reach voluntary agreement to access the land for surveys whenever possible.
If agreement to access land for surveying cannot be reached voluntarily, Section 172 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 authorises National Grid as an acquiring authority. It allows entry to survey land where there is a proposal to acquire an interest in or right over land.
We’ve also notified local authorities where work is taking place. Although we don’t need planning permission for this work, we believe it’s right to notify the local authority.
Allowing National Grid access to land does not stop the landowner making representations about the Project at any time and allowing us access for surveys does not affect any rights to comment in any form.
We recognise the potential for land damage and disturbance that may be caused by carrying out surveys and site investigations and will make advanced compensation payments to landowners for a set period of time. Further information on payments that will be made on survey access is available within our Payments schedule for new electricity transmission assets.
National Grid will work with you and/or your agent to reach an agreement to carry out surveys. We endeavor to reach all agreements voluntarily.
Where an agreement in relation to taking access to land for engineering, ecological and environmental surveys cannot be reached voluntarily, Section 172 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 authorises National Grid as an acquiring authority. It allows entry to survey or value land where there is a proposal to acquire an interest in or right over land.
Land referencing
We need to understand who has a legal interest in the land in and around the areas being considered as part of the proposed reinforcement. We have identified parties who we believe may be affected by the project based on Land Registry Data and we've appointed land referencing firm, TerraQuest, to contact individual landowners to verify the publicly available information. This is to ensure that the information is up-to-date and to confirm the current occupation of the land.
Access for surveys
We must develop our proposals with the right environmental information and over the coming months, we will be carrying out ecological and heritage surveys.
These surveys are critical to help us better understand the local environment and potential effects of our work, and inform decisions on the routing and siting the project. We are keen to progress these to develop more detailed proposals for future consultation, which will help reduce uncertainty for local communities. The findings of these surveys will be included as part of our eventual application submission to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS).
We need to obtain permission to access private land within the route corridor to carry out some surveys. Norwich to Tilbury is of national significance. It is a key project to start to tackle this country’s net zero targets, energy security and energy affordability. We hope that we can agree access to land voluntarily. Allowing National Grid access to land does not stop landowners making representations about the project at any time and allowing us access for surveys does not affect any rights to comment in any form.
We want to agree voluntary access and our land agents have made many efforts to agree voluntary access and will continue to do so. Where that cannot be agreed, we will need to use relevant legal powers.
Frequently asked questions
For further information on National Grid’s approach to engaging with landowners and those with an interest in the land, please see our Landowner FAQs below. For further information about Norwich to Tilbury, please visit our FAQs page.
Document library
Further information and supporting guides can be found in our document library.
Landowner FAQs
We may need to carry out surveys on your land to inform our assessments and feed into the routeing and siting of the overhead line. We will keep you informed of the purpose of surveys and how the data will be used. If we request access for surveys, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your property / land will be affected by the project, as we will need to survey widely to understand the environmental effects of our proposals.
If you’re an affected landowner or occupier and your land interest is registered with the Land Registry, you should have been approached by our land agents Fisher German. However, if you think that your land may be affected and you haven’t received a letter, please email the lands team at Norwich-Tilbury@fishergerman.co.uk or call them on 0808 175 3314.
Once National Grid has developed its construction methodologies and programme further, we will have a better understanding of what effects there may be on different areas of land. We can then engage with individual landowners to understand what these effects may be and how they possibly can be mitigated through temporary changes in farming practises and accommodation works.
Any land used for farming can continue to be farmed around and under the overhead infrastructure. There may be restriction on safety clearances between farm equipment and the conductors.
The majority of agricultural operations will still be possible above the cables, landowners and occupiers must ensure that they do not do anything that will likely result in an interference with or damage to the cables. Land drainage works are usually restricted over the easement width.
You can still develop the land around the overhead equipment, but there may be some restrictions in terms of proximity and the type of development. For more information, please look at National Grid's guidance note Development near overhead infrastructure.
At this stage we can only provide a high-level programme of works. If our project is consented, construction will begin in 2027 and conclude in 2030.
We are unable to confirm further details of the installation and remediation programme at this stage, as these details need full consideration by our installation contractors when appointed. The detailed programme will take all planning consent requirements and stakeholder views into account wherever possible. Generally, we will look to reinstate land as soon as possible after installation works have been completed and temporary haul roads have been removed.
Yes, fencing can be placed near to pylons and cables. In some rare cases unearthed conductive objects, such as electric fences, can become charged with voltage when in very close proximity to an overhead line. This in turn can cause microshocks, which are small shocks similar in size to static shocks. These can cause a sensation but do not cause health effects.
Microshocks are a rare occurrence and typically National Grid would receive a few complaints a year. The chances of microshocks varies depending on a number of factors, including the transmission line voltage, wire size and distance from cabling.
It's easy to mitigate against microshocks by earthing electric fences. This removes the charge and is done through earthing stakes, which are temporary and only needed when the fence is being installed or moved.
The management and control of microshocks in the UK is set out in a Code of Practice produced by the Government. This Code of Practice provides a complete system for the control of microshocks, specifying what action is required to be taken, by whom and under what circumstances.
Norwich to Tilbury has been designed in accordance with this Code of Practice, which is incorporated in National Grid policies and guidance. Once any proposed overhead line is operational, any residual microshocks reported would be mitigated by National Grid under the provisions of this Code.
Access and agreements
If you have been contacted by our land agent Fisher German, it’s because your property / land is located within our preferred corridor. At each stage of the project, Fisher German will contact all potentially affected landowners to advise on how the land might be affected and to arrange access for surveys. Fisher German is coordinating engagement with landowners on behalf of National Grid for this project. Please respond to any correspondence to ensure that we have a full understanding of your related land interest.
If you have been contacted by TerraQuest, our land referencer, it’s because they’re making enquiries to identify and confirm all relevant land interests. They will also be looking into the extent of that interest in proximity to the proposed route. Terra Quest will issue a Landowner Interest Questionnaire (LIQ) to people with an interest in land, to ensure the correct information is held relating to each parcel of land. When issued, please complete and return the LIQ as soon as possible to ensure we have the correct contact details. LIQs are planned to be distributed in 2023.
National Grid will look to agree easements (permanent agreement to install, use and maintain equipment and assets) with all affected landowners, allowing National Grid to install, use and maintain their equipment. Heads of Terms, which set out our proposals for the terms of the option agreement to grant an easement, are planned to be distributed to all affected landowners and appointed agents in 2023.
An easement is a legal right in perpetuity, granting National Grid the right to install, use and maintain its equipment. A permanent easement is granted in exchange for a one-off capital payment, also known as a Deed of Grant of Easement.
A Wayleave is a licence granted by the owner and occupier of land giving National Grid the right to install, use and maintain its equipment. Terms of the wayleave agreement provide for the annual rental and compensation payments to be made based on the type and amount of infrastructure on the land, and its land use.
Easement payments vary between types of land and whether the new connection will be an overhead line or underground cables. For more information on both, please read National Grid's Payments schedule for new electricity transmission assets.
An option agreement is a legally binding document used by National Grid to secure land rights. The option will obligate the parties involved to enter into a final form of agreement as long as the relevant terms and conditions of the option agreement are met.
National Grid will be securing land rights at the same time as undertaking stakeholder engagement and public consultation, as required by the Planning Act 2008. Such engagement and consultation, as well as the actual determination of the Development Consent Order (DCO) application, may result in changes to the route alignment of the proposed new electricity transmission infrastructure.
It would therefore be inappropriate for National Grid to complete land rights, and make full payment in relation to those, until such time as it obtains a DCO and understands the terms and conditions on which that is granted. This also avoids a landowner having land with an easement that is not needed.
National Grid will work with landowners to agree voluntary land right agreements up to the point at which the Development Consent Order (DCO) is granted. At the time of submission of the Development Consent Order application, National Grid will not know whether it will need to rely upon compulsory powers to acquire the necessary land rights. Therefore, the application must include all land rights needed to construct and subsequently operate the new electricity transmission infrastructure.
Where National Grid has been unable to obtain a voluntary agreement from a landowner, we will seek to acquire the relevant land or land rights over the relevant land through the compulsory acquisition powers granted through the DCO. A copy of the order and a compulsory acquisition notice will be served by National Grid on the relevant landowner.
National Grid may have to rely on compulsory purchase powers as a last resort, if voluntarily agreements for land rights cannot be reached with landowners. When submitting the Development Consent Order (DCO) application, National Grid will also apply for compulsory purchase powers. This will ensure that, if the DCO is granted, National Grid will be able to obtain all land rights needed to construct and subsequently operate the new electricity transmission assets.
National Grid acknowledges that any proposed new works may cause concern to landowners. In additional to the other payments outlined, ‘Injurious affection’ and any other appropriate Heads of Claim will be considered on an individual basis in accordance with current legislation.
On completion of construction and reinstatement of the land, individual full and final compensation claims will be agreed with all landowners. Compensation will take into account any loses, damage and disturbances caused during the duration of the works.
Surveys
National Grid will seek voluntary agreements for a range of engineering, ecological and environmental surveys. Some ecological and environmental surveys will be time-critical and can only be carried out at specific times of the year.
Surveys may also involve the drilling of boreholes or the excavation of trial pits, to assess ground conditions. These surveys will be undertaken by National Grid’s appointed contractors and are essential in identifying and understanding engineering, ecological and environmental constraints that could influence the routeing of the new electricity transmission infrastructure.
If access is required to your land for surveys, you will be contacted by the project’s land agents Fisher German. If you consent to access and for surveys to be carried out, this will be for a defined period of time. The surveys enable us to understand the potential effects of our work and for informed decisions to be made on routeing and siting the project.
National Grid recognises the potential for land damage and disturbance that may be caused by carrying out surveys and site investigations and will make advanced compensation payments to landowners for a set period of time. Further information on payments that will be made on survey access is available within our Payments schedule for new electricity transmission assets.
Allowing National Grid access to your land enables us to understand the potential effects of our work and for informed decisions to be made on routing and siting the project. You can still make representations about the project at any time and allowing us access for surveys does not affect your rights to comment.
National Grid will work with you and your agent to reach an agreement to carry out the surveys. Where an agreement in relation to taking access to land for engineering, ecological and environmental surveys cannot be reached voluntarily, Section 172 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 authorises National Grid as an acquiring authority. It allows entry to survey or value land where there is a proposal to acquire an interest in or right over land.