Tendring council opposes new pylons scheme citing impacts on local community
The report highlights multiple concerns over proposed electricity transmission line through north Essex
Last updated 20th Mar 2026
Tendring District Council (TDC) has expressed serious concerns over National Grid's proposal for a 184km, 400 kilovolt electricity transmission line stretching between Norwich and Tilbury, which would traverse the north Essex countryside.
This project is part of the £30 billion Great Grid Upgrade and was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in August 2025.
In response, TDC has provided a detailed Local Impact Report (LIR), highlighting the extensive impacts on the Tendring district and demanding considerable additional mitigation measures before accepting the scheme.
A major point of contention is the selection of the East Anglia Connection Node (EACN) and accompanying corridors.
The council argues this would result in a disproportionate concentration of substantial energy infrastructure in Ardleigh and Little Bromley, encroaching on the district’s sole block of high-grade agricultural land.
According to the report, the project as currently proposed would yield significant unresolved damage to local communities, the environment, businesses, and the rural economy.
Other concerns include vague commitments on skills and employment, insufficient mitigation for ecological impacts, and inadequate guarantees regarding construction effects on nearby homes and rural roads.
Councillor Andy Baker, TDC’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, reiterated the council's position:
“Tendring District Council fully recognises the national need for new green energy infrastructure. However, our Local Impact Report sets out in clear terms that the Norwich to Tilbury proposals — as currently designed — raise serious and unresolved concerns.
Site selection for the EACN and its corridors is flawed, placing a heavy concentration of major energy infrastructure in the Ardleigh–Little Bromley area and directly on high grade agricultural land.
Wide ranging impacts also remain inadequately mitigated, including landscape, heritage, hydrological, agricultural, traffic, community wellbeing and cumulative effects – we do not believe the project’s benefits outweigh the harm that it would cause.”
Previously, TDC councillors voted unanimously against the pylons, warning of their "potentially devastating effect" on the district.
The council emphasized its "strong opposition" during National Grid’s statutory consultation, calling for viable alternative routes, such as offshore paths, to be thoroughly examined.
A spokesperson for National Grid said: "We understand there is strong local interest in the Norwich to Tilbury project. Our submitted plans, accepted by the Planning Inspectorate for examination, show that alternative options have been fully costed and considered, and set out the rationale for the preferred route.
“The project needs to be delivered as soon as possible to connect offshore wind and help reduce ongoing costs for homes and businesses. Plans for coordination, along with environmental plans and assessments, have been submitted as part of our proposals and will be reviewed through the independent Examination process, which allows local people and stakeholders to have their views heard.
“If approved, the project will support economic growth, secure skilled jobs, and as demand doubles in the coming years, ensure reliable electricity for homes, businesses and public services across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.”
A decision on the Development Consent Order is anticipated in early 2027, with construction potentially beginning that year and the transmission line expected to be operational by 2031.