Section 56, Planning Act 2008
REGULATION 9, INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (APPLICATIONS: PRESCRIBED FORMS AND PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS 2009
NATIONAL GRID ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION PLC
PROPOSED NATIONAL GRID (NORTH WALES CONNECTION PROJECT) DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER
APPLICATION REFERENCE NO: EN020015
NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State has accepted an application by National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (“National Grid”) of 1-3 Strand, London, WC2N 5RH for a development consent order (“DCO”) under the Planning Act 2008 (“the Application”). The Application was submitted by National Grid to the Secretary of State, c/o The Planning Inspectorate (“PINS”), on 7 September 2018 and was accepted on
4 October 2018. The PINS reference number is EN020015.
SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT
National Grid has a connection agreement to connect Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station to the existing transmission network. The proposed DCO would authorise works to connect this generation by means of a new 400 kV connection running from the existing substation at Wylfa, Anglesey to the existing National Grid substation at Pentir, Gwynedd. The connection is proposed as a combination of overhead line and a tunnel beneath the Menai Strait.
This new infrastructure project is known as the North Wales Connection Project (“the Project”) and includes the following principal elements:
- Extensions to the existing substation at Wylfa;
- Approximately 33 kilometres (20.5 miles) of new 400 kV overhead line (OHL) between Wylfa substation and Braint Tunnel Head House and Cable Sealing End Compound on Anglesey, including modifications to parts of the existing 400 kV OHL between Wylfa and Pentir;
- Braint Tunnel Head House and Cable Sealing End Compound on Anglesey, and a permanent access track;
- An approximately four kilometres (2.5 mile) tunnel between Braint and Tŷ Fodol Tunnel Head Houses;
- Tŷ Fodol Tunnel Head House and Cable Sealing End Compound in Gwynedd, and a permanent access track;
- An approximately 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) new section of 400 kV overhead line between Tŷ Fodol Tunnel Head House and Cable Sealing End Compound and Pentir Substation;
- Extension to the existing substation at Pentir; and
- Temporary construction compounds, access tracks, construction working areas and third party works that are required to construct the infrastructure listed above.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
The Project is an “EIA development” for the purposes of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2009. This means that the proposed works constitute development for which an Environmental Impact Assessment is required. National Grid’s application for a DCO is therefore accompanied by an Environmental Statement, containing the information that is required for the Secretary of State to make that assessment.
COPIES OF APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
A copy of the application form and its accompanying documents, plans and sections is available for inspection free of charge from 17 October 2018 until 29 November 2018, at the following locations and times set out below.
Copies of the application documents can be viewed online on the relevant page for this Project, accessible via PINS’ website:
https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/wales/north-wales-connection/
Copies of the documents, plans and maps can be provided on request from National Grid by emailing nationalgrid@northwalesconnection.com, by writing to FREEPOST NATIONAL GRID NW CONNECTION, or by telephoning 0800 990 3567. A reasonable copying charge will apply (up to a maximum of £1,000) for supplying a hard copy of the full suite of application documents. Copies of individual documents are also available on request. A reasonable charge may be applied.
An electronic copy of the documents on a USB memory stick can be obtained free of charge.
RESPONDING TO THE APPLICATION
To make a representation to the Secretary of State in respect of the Project (i.e. giving notice of any interest in, or objection to, the Application) you must submit it on a registration form. Detailed guidance on registering and making representations is provided by PINS in Advice Note 8.2: ‘How to register to participate in an Examination’, and, additionally, Advice Note 8.3: ‘Influencing how an application is Examined: the Preliminary Meeting’, both of which can be accessed online via PINS’ website. You are advised to have regard to both of these documents.
Representations should be submitted on a fully completed Planning Inspectorate Registration and Relevant Representation form. You should include a summary of the points you wish to make about the application, covering what you consider to be the main issues, what you agree with or disagree with in the Application and why, and what you consider the impacts will be.
The Planning Inspectorate Registration and Relevant Representation form will be made available by PINS on the relevant page for this Project, accessible via PINS’ website.
Alternatively you can request a hard copy of the form by telephoning 0303 444 5000 and by quoting the name of the Project. Any hard copy form to be submitted to PINS should be sent to The Planning Inspectorate, National Infrastructure Directorate, Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN. The PINS reference number (EN020015) should be quoted in any correspondence.
Any representation must be received by PINS no later than 23:59 on 29 November 2018.
Please note that representations will be made public.
National Grid Electricity Transmission plc
LOCATIONS AND TIMES:
