Status: Accepted for Examination 26th September 2025 Planning Inspectorate Reference Number EN020027
Notification of decision to accept application (Link to acceptance letter)
The proposals are for a new 400kV electricity overhead transmission line in East Anglia running from Norwich (National Grid’s Norwich Main substation) to Tilbury in Essex.
They will also need to carry out some work at existing substations along the proposed route and build a new substation in the Tendring district to connect new offshore wind projects close to the coast.
The reinforcement in South Norfolk will consist of new overhead lines supported by a standard steel lattice pylons of 50metres in height with a distance of 350 metres between the pylons. It will start at Norwich Main substation, running to the west of the district, crossing the River Waveney into Suffolk.
The Project is a proposal by National Grid to upgrade the electricity transmission system in East Anglia between Norwich and Tilbury. The Project includes a new 400 kilovolt (“kV”) electricity transmission connection of approximately 184 kilometres ("km”) in overall length from Norwich Main Substation and Tilbury Substation via Bramford Substation, comprising:
- approximately 159 km of new overhead line supported on approximately 510 steel lattice pylons (approximately 50 metres (“m”) in height) some of which are gantries (typically up to 15 m in height) within proposed Cable Sealing End (“CSE”) compounds, or existing or proposed substations
- approximately 25 km of 400 kV underground cabling some of which is located through the Dedham Vale National Landscape (formerly known as Dedham Vale AONB)
- six new CSE compounds, each with a permanent access, to connect the overhead lines to the underground cables
- a new 400 kV East Anglia Connection Node (“EACN”) substation, with a new permanent access, on the Tendring Peninsula. This is proposed to be an Air Insulated Switchgear (“AIS”) substation
- substation extension works at the existing Norwich Main, and Bramford substations and works within the existing Tilbury Substation to connect and support operation of the new transmission connection
- temporary works associated with construction of the Project
For the avoidance of doubt, the alternative design at the Waveney Valley (referred to as the Waveney Valley Alternative) is not being proposed and does not form part of the Project.
Link to the developer’s website: Norwich to Tilbury | National Grid
Link to The Planning Inspectors website to access documents: Documents | Norwich to Tilbury
Further information will be provided as we progress through the examination.
Link to the National Grid ESO East Anglia Study: East Anglia study | ESO (nationalgrideso.com)
The Waveney Valley Valued Landscape Report was jointly commissioned by Suffolk County Council (SCC) and Norfolk County Council (NCC), with the support of SNC together with Mid Suffolk DC due to the proposed Norwich To Tilbury NSIP. This has now been published and available for you to view via the link below and please feel free to pass onto your communities.
The Waveney Valley Valued landscape Report
Pre-application consultations
Non-statutory consultation: April to June 2022
NGET held a non-statutory consultation on their proposals between 21 April and 16 June 2022. This consultation was designed to provide an overview and justification for the project, present the options considered and preferred options identified and outline the next steps in the projects programme.
NGET held 12 consultation events and 12 online webinars throughout the consultation. South Norfolk Council's response to the initial consultation on the EA Green Project.
Second non-statutory consultation: June to August 2023
A second non-statutory consultation was held from Tuesday 27 June to Monday 21 August 2023. This consultation focussed on seeking feedback on the latest preferred draft alignment and further detailed development of the proposals.
South Norfolk Council's response to second non-statutory consultation on Norwich to Tilbury.
Statutory Consultation: 10 April 2024 to 26 July 2024
National Grid are extending their statutory consultation on proposals for Norwich to Tilbury until 11:59pm on Friday 26 July. This is to provide people with more time to submit their comments and to accommodate the General Election on 4 July. It is important to note that their consultation remains open during this time so people can continue to submit feedback and ask questions.
South Norfolk Council's response to the Norwich to Tilbury Statutory Consultation
Non-Statutory Consultation 30 January to 3 March 2024
National Grid are carrying out a further target consultation on localised potential changes. Link to documents; Norwich to Tilbury | Document library | National Grid ET
For information links to the pre-application documents are provided below.
Please see below a list of consultation documents and direct links to each of these documents, hosted on National Grid’s website.
| Document | Description | Link |
| Project background document | This document provides a summary of the proposed Project including background, information about design changes, potential benefits and impacts, how we might propose to mitigate any significant effects and signposts for readers to more detailed information reports and how to provide feedback on the project. | Project background from National Grid |
| Community newsletter | The newsletter sets out the proposed Project Information, details about the consultation, an overview map of the proposed Project area and how to provide feedback, along with a list of engagement activities throughout the consultation period. | Community Newsletter from National Grid |
| Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR). The PEIR contains a description of the proposed Project, and a preliminary assessment of the likely significant environmental effects of the proposed Project based on the initial information available at that time. It also sets out how we propose to reduce these effects and how we propose to maximise the benefits of the proposed Project. | Volume 1: Main Text (chapters) | Preliminary Environmental Report (PEIR) Volume 1 |
| Volume 2: PEIR figures | Split into multiple files in our document library: | Document library for Norwich to Tilbury planning examination |
| Volume 3: PEIR Technical Appendices | Split into multiple files in our document library: | Document library for Norwich to Tilbury planning examination |
| PEIR non-technical summary | PEIR non-technical summary | Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) Non-technical Summary |
| 2024 Design Development Report | An in-depth technical document detailing the work we have undertaken to date, focusing on the work since the 2023 non-statutory consultation. | 2024 Design Development Report |
| 2024 Strategic Options Backcheck and Review | Provides an updated overview of the appraisal approach we have used to date to consider strategic options. These are reviewed and backchecked as part of the ongoing strategic options assessment and decision making process. | 2024 Strategic Options Backcheck and Review |
| 2023 Non-Statutory Consultation Feedback Report | Summarising the feedback we received during the 2023 non-statutory consultation and how it has been considered. | 2023 Non-Statutory Consultation Feedback Report |
| Project maps | A series of maps and plans showing the extent of the proposed Project. | Maps available in our document library |
| Consultation banners | A series of exhibition banners with information relating to the proposed Project that will be used at the public information events. | Consultation Banners |
| Interactive project map | An interactive map of the proposed project. | Interactive Map |
| Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) | The SoCC sets out how NG intends to consult statutory consultees, stakeholders, affected residents, businesses and local communities ahead of its application for development consent for the Project. | Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) |
| Feedback Questionnaire | An online and paper feedback questionnaire to gather responses to the statutory consultation. | Feedback Questionnaire |
| Guide to interacting with our consultation plans | A guide outlining the consultation maps and plans, and how to use them. | User guide |