A public consultation is due to begin today, initiating further discussion on the proposed development of two industrial substations on agricultural land in southern Lincolnshire. The National Grid has emphasised the importance of the substations, named Weston Marsh A and B near Spalding, stating they are critical for the UK’s future energy supply. This project forms part of the larger 87-mile Grimsby to Walpole pylon initiative, which has previously faced resistance from the Lincolnshire County Council and nearby community residents.
Local resident Jenny Pennington, whose home is located close to the proposed sites, voiced her concerns about the potential impacts on her community, noting that it’s not positive news for the area. Pennington shared, “We’re uncertain about the size of the substations at this stage. We’ll have to see what emerges from the public consultation. While it isn’t shocking news as we were aware of its possibility, it isn’t beneficial for the area as it threatens to transform Weston Marsh into a heavily industrialised locale.”
Ben Ridgeon, representing the National Grid, highlighted the importance of public discourse. He stated, “The substations play an integral role in the infrastructure required to connect novel regional energy sources, buttressing Lincolnshire’s energy supply and fostering regional investment and growth.” The National Grid has proposed that the substations will be conjoined by a short underground cable, linking with the planned Grimsby to Walpole pylon network. A connection to an electricity cable running from the Outer Dowsing Offshore Windfarm is also in the pipeline.
The National Grid has projected that by 2050, UK’s demand for electricity is set to double. Particularly focusing on Lincolnshire, the existing network is ill-equipped to manage this projected surge. Incorporating the proposed Weston Marsh A and B substations, Lincolnshire will now have six large substations in the planning stages.
Each substation is expected to encompass an area equalling at least 10 football pitches in size, and measure up to 15m in height. More details relating to these latest proposals will be accessible on the National Grid’s website from midday today, marking the opening of the public consultation. Furthermore, two in-person consultation events have been planned: one on Friday 28 November, from 14:00 to 19:00 GMT at Weston Village Hall, and the other on Saturday 29 November, from 11:00 to 16:00 at Moulton Seas End Village Hall. An interactive online webinar is also scheduled for Wednesday, December 3, from 18:30 to 19:30.
