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Norwich to Tilbury pylons – National Grid upgrade

Image by luctheo from Pixabay

Norwich to Tilbury (formerly known as East Anglia GREEN) is a proposed new electricity transmission route planned by the National Grid to run from Norwich Main, just south of Norwich, to Tilbury in Essex via Bramford substation in Suffolk.

The suggestion is for it to consist of new overhead power lines running between pylons, along a separate corridor to the already existing line of overhead cables and pylons just to the east of the proposed new route. Where it crosses the Dedham Vale AONB, underground cabling is being proposed.

View National Grid’s interactive map of the proposed Norwich to Tilbury route.

CPRE Norfolk believes that underground cabling or offshore grid connections should be used for any new National Grid transmission lines. This would help to ensure less harmful long-term impacts for residents, the environment, settings of heritage assets, tranquillity, and the countryside.

Read our full Norwich to Tilbury statement

A coalition of three branches of CPRE – Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk (the Suffolk Preservation Society), commissioned a report by Dr Andy Tickle, an independent planning and campaign consultant who has worked on energy, planning and environmental issues for over 40 years.

Dr Tickle’s report ‘Greening the Great Grid Upgrade’, provides a detailed critique as to the programme’s strengths and weaknesses and how it might be improved in ways designed to reduce the impacts on the countryside and ensure that impacted communities are properly heard.

Read a summary of the report’s recommendations.

Read the full report

In addition, it is vital that strategies are introduced urgently to reduce electricity usage where possible, for example through better design and use of insulation in new development, and for retro-fitting of existing housing.