Update on events since the Meeting in Stratford St Mary on 21st Jan 2023


Firstly, apologies for how long this has taken to get this first update out to you and also the length of it. Events have moved on so fast since the 21st of Jan meeting, as you will see in the e-mail below, my feet haven't touched the ground. It has also taken longer than expected to set-up this GDPR compliant e-mailing distribution.

On the Monday following the meeting I joined the Dedham Vale Society to represent them in relation to this matter. Just over a week later I found myself in a meeting with Bernard Jenkins (Essex MP), the Minister of State for Energy and Climate (Graham  Stuart), multiple National Grid representatives, Rosie Pearson (ESN Pylons), a representative from a parallel group - Stour Valley Underground, various other regional councillors and other representatives from the Dedham Vale society. This featured on the Look East News. Shortly after this I helped host a similar information/update event in Little Horkesley. Finally, a news article was produced with various versions for local distribution explaining the events that unfolded during January & February (See below) - If you have not heard already there are some massive changes so please read the article.
  • You can contact me at lukemarshall@DedhamValeSociety.org.uk
David Pooley (Stratford St Mary) has separately agreed to be the AONB co-ordinator for the ESN pylons group and together we have been in talks with David Burns (Central ESN Pylons group) and Langham village council to co-ordinate another event. David really needs people to help co-ordinate from each local village (Higham, Dedham, Langham, Ardleigh etc) as the consultation progresses so if you are willing to get involved and help please contact him directly.
  • You can contact David at davepooley53@gmail.com
We have created a Local Facebook group (Dedham Vale AONB - Pylons and Undergrounding) to help us all stay informed & collaborate as events unfold. Last but not least if you have not done so already I would recomend you join the central Essex Suffolk Norfolk - Pylons Facebook group which has a wealth of information and is used to collaborate accross all three counties: Assuming this first email distribution goes OK I will send out the presentation etc from the Stratford event.

(News Article) East Anglia Green Pylon Proposals  - a glimmer of hope
 
There have been several recent developments which have allowed us to feel a welcome glimmer of hope in regard to the East Anglia Green (EAG) project to install electricity pylons and underground cabling in this area.  Both National Grid and the Government seem to be listening and responding to the concerns of local residents.  National Grid has postponed its statutory consultation for a year to 2024 and Graham Stuart, Minister for Energy and Climate, paid an unexpected visit to the area, on the invitation of Sir Bernard Jenkin, to see for himself what the impact of the project would be.
 
As you may already know, National Grid is planning to build a new high voltage network stretching from Norfolk through Suffolk and across Essex to Tilbury. This will be needed to carry an extra 50GW of offshore wind energy by 2030.  As originally proposed, the network would involve the installation of 50 metre high pylons and underground cabling across 180 km of land including the Dedham Vale.
There would also need to be three 45 acre substations around Ardleigh with trenches carrying cables to the coast.
 
On 16th January Graham Stuart, Minister for Energy and Climate issued a letter acknowledging the growing concerns being raised by communities to their MPs.  Among other initiatives, he highlighted the Offshore Coordination Support Scheme launched in December which provides up to £100 million in grants to help incentivise energy provider companies like National Grid and wind farm contractors to develop a coordinated approach that minimises impact on communities and the environment.  Funding will be allocated by the middle of 2023.
 
On 21st January a number of concerned residents and myself organised an event in Stratford St Mary.  It had two aims:  to provide information and an update about the proposals to residents (some of whom had incorrectly received land access demands from National Grid) and, secondly, to try and pull together a united front across the Dedham Vale AONB.  The event was attended by over 100 residents, representatives from local village councils, county councillors  and representatives from the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project and the Dedham Vale Society.  We were fortunate to have James Cartlidge (MP for South Suffolk) as our main speaker who answered many questions.
 
On 23rd January National Grid released an updated newsletter which can be found on its website: www.nationalgrid.com/east-anglia-green.  This announced that the statutory consultation which was due to start in three months' time has been moved back a year to 2024.  Additionally, National Grid now plans to have another non-statutory consultation this year with a more detailed route provided. This is quite a contentious point as it would appear to go against the Planning Inspectorate rules for consultations on projects of national significance which state that all options need to be presented for consideration, whereas here only one pre-determined route is offered.

31st Jan 2023 – Court of appeal grants SEAS permission to proceed to judicial review in relation to wind farm plans in Suffolk.

On 2nd February Sir Bernard Jenkin very helpfully arranged a visit to the area for Graham Stuart, Minister of State for Energy and Climate.  He took him and National Grid representatives on a tour of the area that would be affected by EAG.  Afterwards there was a round table discussion attended by district and county councillors and community representatives including ourselves, Essex Suffolk Norfolk (ESN) Pylons and Stour Valley Underground.
 
We had a wide ranging discussion.  Probably the four most important outcomes for the local area were:
 
  1. National Grid is investigating the possibility of connecting North Falls and 5 Estuaries wind farms directly into the proposed offshore cable between Sizewell and Kent.  This removes the need for all the infrastructure around Ardleigh and could mean a re-route around the AONB.  This would seem a sensible approach producing in effect a mini offshore grid.
  2. The Electricity System Operator (ESO) is committed to re-review guidelines for this type of project with the aim of minimising impact on communities, countryside and wildlife.  The Minister assured us that the outcome of this review would feed into and shape the official consultation on EAG.
  3. It would appear that there will be changes in the proposed routing for the existing plan.  Where these are and who they will impact are unknown at this time.
  4. If the route does come through the AONB, horizontal directional drilling will be used under the river, A12 and wooded areas.  We need to push this all the way to minimise impact.

 
At the end of the meeting Sir Bernard commented that "The dial has moved" and ESN Pylons responded "Now we just need to move the pylons".  So we must all keep pushing for the right outcome that is best for communities and the environment.  Nothing will change if we don't all pull together.
 
7th February 2023 - A Government re-shuffle and a new department was created 'The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero'.  However, the same ministers, Graham Stuart and ultimately Grant Shapps will still sign-off the project.

You may also like to know that the BBC television programme "Countryfile" filmed an interview with Rosie Pearson from ESN Pylons and a National Grid representative in Aldham in early February and that the programme is due to be broadcast on 19th February.  It will also be available on BBC iPlayer and catch-up TV.
 
Luke Marshall
(Local resident /Dedham Vale Society)

Interested local residents can register