Ground investigation works by National Grid are under way at Minster Marshes following approval of a lawful development certificate by Thanet council.
National Grid is carrying out the preparatory works for its Sea Link project which proposes to reinforce the electricity network between Suffolk and Kent via a new, primarily offshore link.
The proposed £1.1 billion high-voltage subsea cable project, designed to strengthen the UK’s electricity grid, will have cables making landfall at two highly sensitive locations: RSPB’s North Warren Nature Reserve in Suffolk and Kent Wildlife Trust’s Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve
The plans include a 28-metre high, 90,000 square metre onshore converter station at Minster marshes in the Stour Valley.
The National Grid project is currently subject to a development consent order process. As part of the process more than 500 documents have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by National Grid, interested parties and representations from organisations, groups and the public.
The application for the ground investigation works says: “The proposed ground investigation works are required to support the detailed design of a new 2-gigawatt (GW) high voltage direct current (HVDC) Converter Station for the Sea Link Project.
“The Sea Link Project seeks to reinforce the electricity network between Suffolk and Kent via a new, primarily offshore, 2 GW HVDC link, to increase the capability of the network to carry low carbon and renewable energy form where it is generated to homes and businesses across the country.
“This programme of GI works follows a series of previous site investigations undertaken in Spring 2023, which NGET carried out using their permitted development rights as a statutory undertaker.
“The previous investigatory works included a similar scope of GI activities to the ones proposed, including boreholes, cone penetration tests, and trial pits.
“Following completion of the works, the ground will be fully reinstated to its original condition, matching the state that existed prior to the commencement of works.”
National Grid is also currently consulting on proposed changes to its use of the Hoverport site at Pegwell.
The company requests an extension of land used to re-route access to the intertidal area from the hoverport at Pegwell Bay “to avoid encroaching on the saltmarsh.”
The document says: “In August 2025 the extent of saltmarsh was recorded further down shore than had previously been recorded and it is now encroaching on the current Order limits and the ramp access for construction, operations and maintenance (O&M) activities from the hoverport.
“Saltmarsh is a sensitive habitat, and the applicant has committed to the avoidance of impacts to this habitat in Pegwell Bay through the use of trenchless techniques at the landfall.
“By amending the Order limits to include an additional access route to the intertidal area, the access route will also avoid the saltmarsh habitat.”
In a submission from Save Minster Marshes it says the hoverport has a large number of threatened and vulnerable species of flora and fauna that are now thriving in a space that has very successfully rewilded since it closed 30 years’ ago. Wildlife in the area includes bats, birds and several varieties of orchid.
The group also points out that the ‘concrete’ is breaking up and 20 years ago it was acknowledged that redevelopment of the site would mean huge clean up costs because the site is built on coal waste.
They add: “Tunnelling under it would be absolutely catastrophic for the very saltmarsh that National Grid is professing to care about.”
Last October Thanet council said it would not allow permission to use the hoverport – which is TDC owned- based on factors including land ownership and the possible disturbance of a national nature reserve.
This was once again confirmed at a council meeting this month when deputy leader Cllr Helen Whitehead said: “We are opposed to the use of the mudflats via the Hoverport site. This has not changed with the increase in the order limits.
“Given that National Grid intends to use compulsory acquisition powers to allow access to the land for the purposes of the project, we are engaging directly with National Grid in relation to our concerns. Compulsory acquisition gives us little choice, or agency as an authority, as it is a central process, and one that we cannot give permission for or against; it will be determined as part of the DCO.”
Cllr Whitehead has also submitted a personal consultation response which highlights the lack of protection for significant sites, or cost, distress and disruption in the process to affirm protection.
She says SSSI sites “need outright protection, rather than consideration within the process; if they are not granted this by means of a central register/excluded land, then applications can and will come forward for completely unsuitable areas; and the result of this is either that highly significant and valuable areas will be lost, if permission is granted, or that huge costs and delays are incurred relating to consulting on sites that should have been excluded from consideration at the very start of the process.”
She adds that any national benefits may well be at the cost of damage to local environment, leisure and tourism.
To respond to National’s Grid’s proposal to extend the area it will use at the Hoverport
email [email protected] or write to FREEPOST Sea Link by 23:59pm on Friday 7 November.
Documents outlining the Thanet end of the scheme say it will comprise of:
- A landfall point at Pegwell Bay.
- A Transition Joint Bay (TJB) – an underground, concrete box structure where the offshore cable connects to the onshore cable – connecting to cable the converter station.
- A 2 GW HVDC converter station (including a new permanent access off the A256), up to 28 m high plus external equipment (such as lightning protection, safety rails for maintenance works, ventilation equipment, aerials, and similar small scale operational plant) and a new substation at Minster Marshes.
- Removal of approximately 2.2 km of existing overhead line, and installation of two sections of new overhead line, together totalling approximately 3.5 km, each connecting from the substation near Minster and the existing Richborough to Canterbury overhead line.
Permanent access to Minster 400 kV substation and Minster Converter Station will be via a new access point off the A256, north of Jutes Lane. The site will have external lighting.
The converter station will comprise of a DC hall, converter transformers, valve hall, reactor hall, AC switchyard, control building, strategic spare parts building, LV electricity supply, fire deluge pump house, car parking, a permanent access road and landscaping.
The construction of the proposed converter stations would take approximately four years from first site access to reinstatement, excluding ongoing landscaping monitoring or maintenance.
An indicative timeline says, subject to gaining development consent, construction works would be expected to start in 2026 and be completed by the end of 2031 with reinstatement potentially continuing into 2032.
DCO hearing dates
Dates have now been announced with a preliminary meeting on Wednesday 5 November, 10:00am, virtually via Microsoft Teams.
There will be open floor hearings in Suffolk followed by an issue specific hearing on the scope of the development on Tuesday 11 November, 10:00am, virtually via Microsoft Teams.
For Kent an open floor hearing will be held on Tuesday 11 November at 2pm, in person at Discovery Park Visitors Centre, Innovation House, Sandwich, and virtually via Microsoft Teams, which if required, will continue at;
- 5:30pm on Tuesday 11 November
- 10:00am on Wednesday 12 November
- 2:00pm on Wednesday 12 November
- 5:30pm on Wednesday 12 November
- 10:00am on Thursday 13 November
When the DCO Examination has concluded, the Planning Inspectorate will write a report on their findings, including a recommendation regarding whether or not to grant a DCO for the project.
This report will go to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero within three months of the Examination closing.
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has the final say on whether to grant or refuse development consent. They must make a decision within three months of receiving the Recommendation.
Once a decision has been made, there is a six week period in which anybody can legally challenge the Secretary of State’s decision. If a challenge is made, the High Court will decide if there are grounds for the decision to be judicially reviewed.
In all the process will take about 18 months.
i would like to see the size of the brown envelope that got this disaster approved !
“real world” -I don’t think you should write a comment like that unless you have proof that the council was bribed.
“M.M. Rees”, why not comment on the actual articles rather than other people’s opinions?
Myself? Sadly, this is what people get when wanting so-called “Green” energy instead of the oil under our oceans and the coal, quite literally, beneath our feet.
irony just died from cringe overload.
And the same to you, sweetie.
Is there anyone who thinks this a good idea?
Yup. The only ones who don’t are nimby dinosaurs. Dinosaurs get left in the dust whilst the rest, evolve and progress.
Yes. We need the electrical transmission infrastructure. We expect our lights, dish washers, refrigerators, tvs, kettles and so on to work.
What’s wrong with this project is that the Converter Station is in the wrong place. Instead of Minster Marshes, shove it up on the Manston site.
Would be in the way of planes, you tool!
I suggest Ramsgate High Street.
The Manston site is about 450 a res, of which only a very small % is directly needed for aviation activity. There is plenty of space to accommodate the HVCD converter.
Planes? What planes?? There are none.
The ideal spot of course is the former Ramsgate Port that no longer has any ships. That way, you can witness Green energy in all its glory.
For goodness sake just get on with it. The tree huggers are constantly trying to stop essential works like electricity supplies that we need to benefit the UK. Yet where were the huggers when the house builders came to ruin Thanet congestihg our road -overwhelming-our NHS services and schools – dentist. Where were the huggers then?. Wild life are not thick
If the substations are built on minster marches the wide life will camp somewhere else.
Just a note. There is hardly a constructive comment on here. Instead, the usual wannabe comedians are having their five minutes of “fame”.
Personally, I am going to attend the meetings and read the proposals thoroughly before forming and opinion.
I think it is possible to form opinions both as to thr need for the Convertor Station and its proposed location.
As to need, there’s no doubt.
As to location, lots of questions.
I’ve signed up as an interested party.
I think it is possible to form opinions both as to thr need for the Convertor Station and its proposed location.
As to need, there’s no doubt.
As to location, lots of questions.
I’ve signed up as an interested party.