Landowners and surveys
Information for landowners and occupiers
We're committed to working closely with landowners as we develop our proposals for this essential electricity network reinforcement.
We will keep you updated as the project progresses, and we encourage you and your representatives to liaise with us if you have any questions. Your participation is key to building the clean energy network for the future.
Land referencing
Land Interest Questionnaires - We need to understand who has a legal interest in the land within the areas being considered for the proposed reinforcement. We have identified parties who we believe may be affected by the project based on Land Registry data, and we’ve appointed Dalcour Maclaren, a land referencing firm, to verify this publicly available information. This ensures the data is up-to-date and confirms the current occupation of the land.
Dalcour Maclaren is currently contacting all parties with land interests in and around the area we are considering for the Grimsby to Walpole reinforcement through Land Interest Questionnaires (LIQs) and accompanying land plans. These forms request landowners and other interested parties clarify contact information, confirm ownership, identify occupiers, tenants, and any other parties with an interest in the land, such as rights of way or option agreements. The LIQs also aim to ensure that land ownership boundaries and occupation are accurately identified. Recipients can amend the LIQ land plan if they find any discrepancies. If you receive an LIQ, please do complete and return it, or get in touch if you have any questions.
Unregistered Land Notices - During the review of Land Registry data and the compilation of desktop referencing, areas of unregistered land and unknown third-party interests have been identified. Consequently, Dalcour Maclaren will be placing notices around the project area. These notices request any party with an interest in the land to come forward, claim their interest, and provide any relevant information. This exercise will be monitored over a six-week period, starting from late January 2025.
Receiving an LIQ, or seeing an unregistered land notice, does not guarantee that the land will form part of the project area, it ensures that National Grid has an accurate understanding of land holdings to facilitate future communication between landowners and the project.
Access for surveys
We must develop our proposals with the right environmental information. Over the coming months, we will be carrying out environmental and ground investigation surveys.
The surveys are critical to help us better understand the local environment and potential effects of our work. They will also inform our decisions on the routing and siting the project, helping us to develop more detailed proposals for the next stage of consultation.
National Grid tries to reach voluntary agreement to access the land for surveys wherever possible.
If agreement to access land for surveying cannot be reached voluntarily, Section 172 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 authorises National Grid as an acquiring authority. It allows entry to survey land where there is a proposal to acquire an interest in or right over land.
We’ve also notified local authorities where work is taking place. Although we don’t need planning permission for this work, we believe it’s right to notify the local authority.
The table below details the surveys we will be conducting over the coming months. At this early stage, before we have a more detailed proposal, surveys are taking place within the emerging preferred route corridor and potential substation siting zones.
| Survey type | Where |
| UK habitat classification | Corridor wide |
| Water Vole | Corridor wide |
| Otter | Corridor wide |
| Bat static detector survey | Corridor wide |
| Geophysical survey | Substation siting zones |
| Water surveys | Corridor wide |
| Traffic surveys | Corridor wide |
Frequently asked questions
We are carrying out several different types of surveys for Grimsby to Walpole. Please see the below for a table of surveys currently planned for the next six months, and the approximate locations where these will be carried out.
| Survey type | Where |
| UK habitat C classification | Corridor wide |
| Water Vole | Corridor wide |
| Otter | Corridor wide |
| Bat static detector survey | Corridor wide |
| Geophysical survey | Substation siting zones |
| Water surveys | Corridor wide |
| Traffic surveys | Corridor wide |
Some ecological and environmental surveys can only be carried out at specific times of the year. For example:
Breeding bird surveys are usually carried out between mid-March to July as they target key species and territories of birds.
Great crested newt surveys must be undertaken between 15 April – 30 June, to align with the breeding period of newts, when they are more likely to inhabit a pond.
UK Habitat Classification surveys can be undertaken all year round, however there are some habitats which have key seasonal constraints. Starting in April allows the surveyors to survey some key habitats e.g. hedgerows.
Ground level tree assessments for bats in April are required to inform the scope of potential further bat surveys over the summer months.
Water vole surveys are usually carried out between mid-April and September as this is when they are most active.
Geophysical surveys are best carried out in late Spring to early Summer as conditions underfoot should not be waterlogged and later in the summer crops have grown to an extent that they are at risk of damage by the survey equipment.
At this early stage, before we have a more detailed proposal, surveys are taking place within the emerging preferred route corridor and potential substation siting zones.
National Grid endeavours to reach voluntary agreement to access the land for surveys whenever possible.
If agreement to access land for surveying cannot be reached voluntarily, Section 172 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 authorises National Grid as an acquiring authority. It allows entry to survey land where there is a proposal to acquire an interest in or right over land.
Allowing National Grid access to land does not stop the landowner making representations about the project at any time and allowing us access for surveys does not affect any rights to comment in any form.
We’ve also notified local authorities where work is taking place. Although we don’t need planning permission for this work, we believe it’s right to notify the local authority.
If you are a landowner or occupier you should direct any further queries in relation to our proposals to Dalcour Maclaren, who are assisting National Grid on this project as our Land Agents, on 0333 034 7961 or by email at [email protected].
If you have received a letter from Dalcour Maclaren, the project’s appointed land agents, please respond directly to this letter. The letter may be requesting initial survey access and initial information regarding the ownership, occupation and use of your land. We also welcome you to provide feedback as part of this consultation – by completing a feedback form (which is available online), or by providing your written feedback.
For further information on National Grid’s approach to engaging with landowners and those with an interest in the land, please see our Landowner FAQs below. For further information about Grimsby to Walpole please visit our FAQs page.
We recognise the potential for land damage and disturbance that may be caused by carrying out surveys and site investigations. Our licence agreements include an advance payment of compensation to landowners or occupiers of land in recognition of damage and disturbance that potentially may be caused by survey and investigation works. Further information is available in our Payments schedule for new electricity transmission assets and the Lands Right Strategy.
As we are in the early stages of developing our proposals, we need to carry out surveys and consultation to gain a full appreciation of how these works may impact affected landowners and their activities. We employ best practice when installing new overhead lines. You can read more about that in our Construction best practice for overhead line installation guidance document.