Stage 2 Consultation
Welcome to Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire.
Our Stage 2 Consultation is now open. It runs until 11:59pm on Tuesday 3 November 2026.
Since our Stage 1 Consultation last summer, we have continued to develop our proposals, carried out further environmental surveys and assessments, and carefully considered the feedback we received from local communities and stakeholders.
We are now inviting you to share your views on our updated proposals before we move to the next stage of the project. Your feedback will help us refine our plans and inform our Development Consent Order application.
Your views matter. Whether you live, work or spend time in the area, we’d like to hear what you think and understand what’s important to you.
Explore the proposals and share your views by 3 November 2026.
View our proposals
You can view our proposals on our interactive map here, which shows our proposals as a whole and by route section.
About Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire is a proposal to upgrade the high-voltage electricity transmission network in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
This would help move secure, cleaner and home-grown energy from more affordable sources to where it is needed across the region and beyond.
You can read more about the project on the 'our proposals' page or view our interactive map.
Why is the project needed?
The electricity network in the East Midlands needs upgrading. Much of the existing network was built in the 1960s, when electricity was generated and transported very differently.
Today, more electricity is being produced from renewable sources, particularly along the east coast and offshore. Demand for electricity is also expected to grow as homes, businesses and transport increasingly switch to electric power.
This project would strengthen the transmission network in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, helping to move secure, cleaner home-grown energy from more affordable sources to where it is needed across the region and beyond.
Ultimately, this would create a stronger, more reliable network for homes, schools, hospitals and businesses.
About The Great Grid Upgrade
The way we generate electricity has changed and is continuing to change. Demand for electricity is set to double by 2050 as the way we power our homes, businesses, industry and transport changes. We need to upgrade the grid now to ensure we can meet this increase in demand.
This project is part of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest upgrade of the electricity network in England and Wales in generations.
Grid:Engage – A better way to keep informed
Keep up to date on Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire activity with our Grid:Engage app.
Download through the Apple App Store or Google Play.
The DCO process
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire is a project of national significance. It requires a special type of planning consent known as a Development Consent Order (DCO), which can also authorise the compulsory purchase of land and rights over land.
We will submit our application to the Planning Inspectorate, which will examine our proposals. It will then make a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will make the final decision on whether to grant consent.
The project timeline
Community fund survey
Communities should benefit from hosting new electricity transmission infrastructure. To help us deliver community programmes that work for your area, we are keen to hear your views.
We want to understand what is important to you, and where community funds could deliver long-lasting benefits, including through community grant schemes and investment in community groups or via regional partnerships.
Tell us your views by filling out our online survey.
Contact the team
If you have any questions regarding Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire, please contact our team on 0800 138 9191 (lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5:30pm). Alternatively, you can reach us via email at [email protected]; or Freepost WM TO EL (no stamp or further address details are required).
If you are a landowner and believe that your property may be affected by our proposals, please get in touch with our Lands team. You can email them at [email protected], call 0800 567 7600, or write to Freepost WMEL Land.
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