National Grid : submits application for Richborough Connection project

14 Jan 2016

• National Grid submits Richborough Connection application to Planning Inspectorate
• Planning Inspectorate will decide if the application can go forward for examination by a panel of examining inspectors
• UK Power Networks' existing 132kV overhead line still to be removed as part of the proposed scheme

National Grid has today (Thursday 14 January 2016) delivered its application to the Planning Inspectorate to build a new overhead line connection between Richborough and Canterbury. The connection will join Nemo Link®, an electricity link between the UK and Belgium to National Grid's existing high voltage network in Canterbury. Connections like this are vital to make sure that the UK has a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to keep the lights on.

Having listened to the views of landowners, tenants, the local community and stakeholders, as well as looking at the results of technical and environmental studies, National Grid has made some changes to its plans. These include moving the proposed route north of UK Power Networks' lines in the Ash Level to minimise the impact on the local environment and wildlife, in particular birds. The route has also been moved around the campsite at Nethergong as a result of protected species being identified through National Grid surveys and the feedback received. UK Power Networks' existing 132kV overhead line would still be removed as part of the scheme.

Steve Self, project manager said, 'We value your feedback and would like to thank all those who have contributed to the consultation. We believe our final proposal strikes the right balance between everything we've been told, the planning and environmental guidelines we have to follow and the engineering needed to build the connection.'

From tomorrow (Friday 15 January 2016), the Planning Inspectorate has 28 days to decide if the application has met the right standard to proceed to examination. If accepted, the Planning Inspectorate will then examine the application and at that point those with an interest in the project will be told how they can register as an Interested Party to be involved in the processand provide their views. The examination process will last up to six months and after it has ended, the Planning Inspectorate has a further three months to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether or not Development Consent should be given. The Secretary of State then has a further three months to make the final decision.

Full details of the application including copies of all our studies, reports, maps and plans will be available on the Planning Inspectorate's website shortly (http://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/south-east/richborough-connection-project/).

For further queries please contact National Grid's community relations team on 0800 157 7878 or visit www.richboroughconnection.co.uk.