Connection Options Feedback Report October 2012
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Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project Connection Options Report Consultation Feedback National Grid National Grid House Warwick Technology Park Gallows Hill Warwick CV34 6DA October 2012 Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project Connection Options Report – Consultation Feedback ________________________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 3 2 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................. 5 3 OPTIONS APPRAISAL ................................................................................................. 10 4 CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS ......................................................................... 12 5 RESPONSE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................... 20 6 REPRESENTATIONS FROM PRESCRIBED BODIES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES ............................................................................................................... 23 7 ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS - STUDY AREA AB ..................................... 40 8 ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS - STUDY AREA C ........................................ 59 9 ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS - STUDY AREA D ....................................... 69 10 ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS - STUDY AREA E ........................................ 74 11 ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS - STUDY AREA F ........................................ 77 12 ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS - STUDY AREA G ........................................ 83 13 PROJECT WIDE ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS .......................................... 88 14 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................. 118 ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 121 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................. 122 LIST OF APPENDICES A LOCAL AUTHORITIES CONSULTED B PARISH COUNCILS CONSULTED C OTHER PRESCRIBED BODIES CONSULTED D OTHER BODIES CONSULTED E CONSULTATION LETTER TO RESIDENTS F FEEDBACK FORM G CATEGORISATION OF REPRESENTATIONS H LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ASSESSMENT OF INTERIM SEC LOCATIONS FIGURES 1 PREFERRED ALIGNMENT FOR THE CORRIDOR WEST OF STUDY AREA AB 2 PREFERRED UNDERGROUND CABLE ROUTE AND CABLE SEALING END COMPOUND LOCATION IN THE WESTERN PART OF STUDY AREA G 1 Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project Connection Options Report – Consultation Feedback ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 INTRODUCTION Purpose of document 1.1 National Grid is currently undertaking a comprehensive pre-application consultation programme on the Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project. 1.2 This Feedback Report presents the results of consultation on the findings of the Connection Options Report 1 for the Project. The consultation ran for eight weeks from 29 th May to 27 th July 2012. This Feedback Report sets out National Grid’s response to the representations made in the consultation and how representations have influenced the selection of the preferred alignment to be taken forward to detailed design. 1.3 The consultation invited the views of statutory and non-statutory consultees and local communities in the vicinity of the proposed works, on options for a 400kV connection between Bramford substation in Suffolk (west of Ipswich) and Twinstead Tee in Essex (south of Sudbury). The connection options under consideration were set out in the Connection Options Report which assessed alternative indicative alignments for overhead lines and also considered the potential for undergrounding different sections of the route. The report identified an interim alignment, comprising an overhead connection with two underground cable sections, one in Dedham Vale AONB and the other in the Stour Valley. 1.4 In preparing this Feedback Report, consideration has been given to guidance and advice notes prepared by the Government, by the Planning Inspectorate and by its predecessor the Infrastructure Planning Commission. 1 National Grid : Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection – Connection Options Report : May 2012 3 Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project Connection Options Report – Consultation Feedback ________________________________________________________________________________________ Structure of the Feedback Report 1.5 This report is structured as follows: • Chapter 2 – provides the background to the project and consultation to date. It also sets out the duty to consult under the Planning Act 2008 2 and National Grid’s commitment to engagement; • Chapter 3 – presents a summary of the options appraisal and its conclusions, which were the basis for the consultation; • Chapter 4 – outlines the consultation arrangements for the findings of the Connection Options Report; • Chapter 5 – describes how the quantitative and qualitative analyses of representations were managed; • Chapter 6 – sets out the representations received from “prescribed bodies”, including local authorities, parish councils and statutory bodies and explains where representations received from the local community, including persons with an interest in the land, local bodies, Community Forums, Thematic Groups and the general public have been addressed; • Chapters 7 to 12 – summarise, by study area, the issues raised in representations from all parties relating to the indicative alignments, National Grid’s responses to them and how these have been taken into account in taking the Project forward; • Chapter 13 – summarises general issues raised in representations which would not inform comparison of indicative alignments but which may be relevant to the project as a whole; • Chapter 14 – concludes the report and identifies the next steps in the process. 2 Planning Act 2008 : 2008 Chapter 29 4 Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project Connection Options Report – Consultation Feedback ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 BACKGROUND Project development and consultation to date 2.1 The need case 3 for the project explained that the technical limits of the existing transmission infrastructure will be breached over the next few years as new power generation requires connections to the transmission system. To maintain compliance with the National Electricity Transmission System Security and Quality of Supply Standards (NETS SQSS) additional transmission capacity in the region is required. 2.2 The Strategic Optioneering Report 2009 4 concluded that the option of constructing a new 400kV overhead transmission line between Bramford and Twinstead Tee would achieve a balance between National Grid's technical, economic and environmental obligations and should be the preferred option. In response to issues raised in the Stage One Consultation, a review of strategic options 5 tested whether, on the basis of the latest available information, the selection of a connection option based upon the provision of a new overhead transmission line between Bramford and Twinstead Tee was robust. 2.3 The review confirmed that constructing an overhead transmission line between Bramford and Twinstead Tee would best meet National Grid’s technical, economic and environmental obligations and should be the preferred option to take forward for further investigation, taking National Grid's statutory duties into account. 2.4 Having identified that a new 400kV connection is needed between Bramford and Twinstead Tee, a Route Corridor Study 6 was commissioned to identify possible route corridors between the connection points at Bramford and Twinstead Tee and to assess how these performed against National Grid's statutory environmental obligations. This identified four route corridors, all of which would be technically feasible. 3 National Grid : Bramford to Twinstead Connection : Need Case for the East Anglia Region : May 2011 4 National Grid plc : Bramford to Twinstead 400kV Overhead Line Project – Strategic Optioneering Report : October 2009 5 National Grid plc : Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project – Review of Strategic Options Report : June 2011 6 TEP : Bramford to Twinstead 400kV overhead line project : Route Corridor Study for Public Consultation : October 2009 5 Bramford to Twinstead Tee Connection Project Connection Options Report – Consultation Feedback ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2.5 The findings of the Route Corridor Study formed the basis for the extensive Stage One Consultation exercise. The results of which, together with National Grid’s responses, were set out in the Stage 1 Feedback Report 7. 2.6 The Selection of Preferred Corridor Report 8 assessed which corridor should be preferred, based on a range of technical, environmental, and other criteria, and taking account of representations received during the Stage 1 Consultation. It concluded that Corridor 2 should be selected as the basis for developing a scheme for an overhead line connection between Bramford and Twinstead Tee and that further studies should be undertaken to: • evaluate whether the undergrounding of sections of the proposed 400kV overhead lines may be appropriate to mitigate the potential impacts of the scheme on sensitive locations;