The National Grid are embarking on a project to upgrade the electricity transmission grid owing to the increased production of energy within the UK.
Previously known as East Anglia Green, the Norfolk to Tilbury pylon scheme is part of National Grid's Great Grid Upgrade, aiming to create greener and more affordable energy to homes and businesses. However, with many of the new sources of energy being planned for the East of England, the current electricity transmission network in the area would not be able to accommodate the increase in production.
The current proposals for this scheme would see a network of brand new pylons being created to run from Norwich, down to Tilbury in Essex. Where the route passes through an Area of Natural Beauty in Dedham Vale, the cables will be buried underground. As more sources of electricity are brought into service, they will be able to be connected to the network with ease.
Bramford to Twinstead is a specific part of the scheme running through Dedham Vale with the existing network capacity being upgraded. The plan for this specific section is to replace 27km of overhead lines and replace with new pylons, and 11km of underground cabling,
Holmes & Hills will continue to monitor the progress of the scheme and full updates can be found by following the relevant link from the summary updates below.
Holmes & Hills offers early stage advice to property and landowners affected by the proposed East Anglia Green pylons scheme.
Update on the timings for consultation periods of the proposed East Anglia Green pylons scheme.
Holmes & Hills met with National Grid and it's agent Fisher German at a recent "drop-in" session, and the resultant information has been published.
Updates on the progress and information available regarding both the East Anglia Green and Bramford to Twinstead pylon schemes.
Update on the Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme now the public consultation period has opened.
Holmes & Hills offers an update on the Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme, as it is understood landowners are now being contacted by National Grid agents regarding access to land for preliminary surveys.
Update on the Bramford to Twinstead update now the public examination of the scheme has been closed. Holmes & Hills offer information regarding the next steps.
Holmes & Hills have collated some frequently answered questions regarding the Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme, posed by our clients.
Details of the talks being delivered by Holmes & Hills to members of the Pylons East Anglia group.
Holmes & Hills takes a look at the latest announcement regarding the Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement.
Specialist CPO solicitor, Catherine Hibbert, takes a look at the latest update on the Great Grid Upgrade in East Anglia, including discussions around the proposed option of underground cabling for the Waveney Valley.
The Planning Inspectorate has indicated that they anticipate that National Grid will submit a formal development consent application to them during the period June-August 2025 to authorise the proposed 184 kilometre Norwich To Tilbury pylon Scheme. The Planning Inspectorate will then have 28 days in which to confirm acceptance of the application for examination and will take into account the adequacy of the information supporting the application before reaching their decision in this regard. The formal application, assuming it is accepted, will confirm the final route of the proposed Scheme and will set out in detail the land which will be directly affected by the proposals. Those landowners affected by the proposals will then be able to register with the Planning Inspectorate in order that they can have their say in relation to the Scheme. There will be opportunities to view relevant plans and evidence prepared by National Grid and participate in any public examination of the Scheme proposals by lodging written objections/representations and/ or attendance at/ participation in the examination itself. If you have land affected by the Scheme proposals and need advice on how to best protect your interests, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team of specialist compulsory purchase and development consent solicitors.
National Grid will be submitting the Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate on the 28th August. The Planning Inspectorate will then have 28 days to confirm the acceptance of the application for examination. The application will set out in detail the land which will be directly affected by the proposal. If the application is accepted it will then go through a six-month examination period, and the Planning Inspectorate will prepare a report on the application along with their recommendations for the Secretary of State to consider. The Secretary of State then has a further three months to make a decision on whether to grant or refuse development consent.
If you land is affected by the Scheme and you would like advice, please do not hesitate to the contact the CPO/DCO specialist team here at Holmes & Hills on 01206 593933. We would be pleased to undertake a preliminary review for you in, where we would check your title, the impact of the current proposals on your title interests and outline the scope of any claim for compensation. We could offer this initial review for a fixed fee of £399 plus VAT.
On 29 August 2025, National Grid submitted a formal application to the Secretary of State for a development consent order to authorise a new 400kV high voltage power network in East Anglia. The Secretary of State will confirm acceptance (or not) of this application by 26 September 2025. If accepted, the scheme plans and associated documentation and statutory notices will be published, and arrangements will be made for a public examination which will consider the arguments for and against the scheme. If you are a landowner with interests affected by these proposals, please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our dedicated team of specialist compulsory purchase and development consent order solicitors at Holmes & Hills Solicitors.
On Friday 26 September 2025 the Planning Inspectorate confirmed that it has accepted for examination National Grid’s application for a DCO. A copy of the acceptance letter can be found here: Norwich to Tilbury - Project information
Subject to any legal challenge to the Inspectorate’s decision to accept the application for examination the next step would be for National Grid to publish this decision but also how parties may register to be involved in the Examination (i.e. to have their say/make representations). Th e typical time period for this “Pre-Examination Stage” is ~3 months.
Today’s news also means that copies of National Grid’s application – to include a plethora of supporting documents (over 400 in number) – are available for public inspection. Relevant information/ documentation regarding the scheme can be found here: Documents | Norwich to Tilbury
Holmes & Hills continue to monitor this DCO which has attracted wide-ranging interest across East Anglia and beyond and so will provide further updates as appropriate.
The formal National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) development consent application seeking powers to reinforce the 400kV high voltage power network in East Anglia to include a new 400kV connection substation was submitted during 2025. The application is now at pre-examination stage. Comments registered by interested parties are being reviewed and the Planning Inspectorate is planning how to manage the examination phase in light of comments and issues raised. A preliminary meeting will be scheduled within the next few weeks which will set the timetable including deadlines for the examination.
We are aware in the meantime that agents for NGET have started to invite affected landowners to enter into voluntary option agreements to secure the powers they need to implement the scheme – assuming the proposals are approved. If you have received such draft heads of terms or are otherwise affected by these proposals, please do not hesitate to contact one of our specialist team of development consent and compulsory purchase order solicitors to discuss your options.
The preliminary meeting for the National Grid Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme proposal will take place on Tuesday 10 February 2026 from 10am.
This procedural meeting will be used to set the timetable for the public examination and confirm the way in which issues and topics will be managed/ grouped during the course of that process. The first examination hearings will follow on immediately afterwards.
The first compulsory acquisition hearing (CAH1) is scheduled for Wednesday 11 February 2026 at 2pm and will focus on National Grid’s strategic case for the use of permanent and temporary powers of compulsory acquisition in order to deliver the project.
There will be further opportunities for ‘ Affected Persons’ with specific objections to compulsory purchase proposals in relation to individual parcels of land/ specific rights over land to be heard at the second compulsory acquisition hearing (CAH2). Affected Parties will need to register to participate in this hearing by Thursday 26 February 2026. It is understood that further compulsory acquisition hearings may be scheduled, if necessary.
Further detailed information about these hearings is available on the Planning Inspectorate project page here: Norwich to Tilbury - Project information
The examination hearings are open to the public and will be live-streamed. Documents referred to in the examination can be accessed via the Planning Inspectorate project page, along with details of how to register to participate in any hearings.
If you are affected by any of the compulsory purchase proposals associated with this project, please do not hesitate to contact Holmes & Hills LLP to discuss your situation further.
Holmes & Hills have a specialist team of compulsory purchase solicitors, with extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with CPO/DCO and blight claims. If you think the Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme will affect your land or property, contact one of the team for advice.
Other schemes the department have advised on include:
Call us on 01206 593933 today to speak with one of our compulsory purchase team. Or complete the form below.
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