The Suffolk onshore scheme

• a connection from the existing transmission network via the proposed Friston Substation, including the substation itself. Friston Substation already has development consent as part of other third-party projects. If Friston Substation has already been constructed under another consent, only a connection into the substation would be constructed by Sea Link
• a high voltage alternating current (HVAC) underground cable of approximately 1.9 km in length between the proposed Friston Substation and a proposed converter station (below)
• a 2 GW high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter station up to 26 metres high plus external equipment (such as lightning protection & railings for walkways) near Saxmundham
• a HVDC underground cable connection of approximately 10 km in length between the proposed converter station near Saxmundham, and a transition joint bay (TJB) approximately 900 m inshore from a landfall point (below) where the cable transitions from onshore to offshore technology
• a landfall on the Suffolk coast (between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness).

The offshore scheme

• approximately 122 km of subsea HVDC cable, running between the Suffolk landfall location (between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness), and the Kent landfall location at Pegwell Bay.

The Kent onshore scheme

• a landfall point on the Kent coast at Pegwell Bay
• a TJB approximately 800 m inshore to transition from offshore HVDC cable to onshore HVDC cable, before continuing underground for approximately 2 km to a proposed new converter station (below)
• a 2 GW HVDC converter station, up to 28 m high plus external equipment (such as lightning protection & railings for walkways), near Minster. A new substation would be located immediately adjacent
• removal of approximately 2.2 km of existing HVAC overhead line, and installation of approximately 3.5 km of new HVAC overhead line from the converter station and substation near Minster and the existing Richborough to Canterbury overhead line. 

Our proposals for Sea Link also include modifications to sections of existing overhead lines in Suffolk (only if Friston substation is not built as part of other third-party projects) and Kent, diversions of third-party assets, and land drainage from the construction and operational footprint. The proposals also include opportunities for environmental mitigation, compensation and enhancement (which could include hedgerow creation, native tree planting or habitat creation). The construction phase will involve various temporary construction activities including overhead line diversions, use of temporary towers or masts, working areas for construction equipment and machinery, site offices, parking spaces, storage, accesses, bellmouths, and haul roads, as well as watercourse crossings and the diversion of public rights of way.
 

Changes to our proposals

Ahead of submitting our application for development consent in early 2025, we are making a small number of changes to the plans shown at our targeted consultation in July 2024. These changes are the result of further engineering work, environmental assessments, and your feedback to previous consultations. 

We are considering whether these changes would result in different environmental effects to those already reported and consulted on during previous consultations.  Any effects of the project, and the measures we would take to avoid, reduce or mitigate these, will be presented in our application for development consent.  

A high level summary of the key changes in Suffolk and Kent is below. Full details of all changes are available from the Document Library. We have also updated our interactive map.

 Interactive map

Suffolk

Saxmundham converter station access and bridge

The River Fromus crossing would provide an access route to the converter station for construction vehicles and reduce construction traffic passing through Saxmundham, as well as providing a permanent access route. 

The proposed bridge crossing would now be located approximately 40 m further north. This would reduce the impact on trees to the east of the river but would mean it is closer to heritage assets south of Saxmundham. 

We are discussing a lower height version of the bridge with stakeholders, and are considering which bridge design would work best at this location given its setting.  

Construction and maintenance compounds 

We have reintroduced areas of land that were previously removed from our proposals at the targeted consultation in July 2024 to the east of Saxmundham, south of the B1119, next to where we are proposing our converter station. By including this land in our proposals, there would be more flexibility to decide on the exact location of the compound at a later stage. This may help coordinate our work with other developers.  

Mitigation and enhancement land 

We are proposing a new area of agricultural land between Sternfield and Saxmundham, east of the River Fromus, to create small gaps in the crops so birds can access nesting habitats.   

An area of land near Aldeburgh, off the A1094 and within the National Landscape area, would also be included and is proposed to be managed ‘acid grassland’.  This is a type of open landscape and habitat that encourages biodiversity.   

We have removed other areas from the project, including north of Saxmundham Road near Aldeburgh, which are less suitable for ecological and environmental purposes.  

Kent

Construction and maintenance compounds 

We have removed or moved various construction compound areas, including: 

• we have removed the proposed construction compound on the former hoverport site, which would now only be used as part of the access route from Sandwich Road to the mudflats  

• we have moved the maintenance compound immediately adjacent to Sandwich Road to the north of the road. We now intend to use this compound for construction, as well as maintenance.  This may increase the amount of construction traffic in this area.  

• we have removed the larger construction compound area west of the A256 to reduce archaeological impacts.  We have instead reintroduced smaller compound areas elsewhere that were previously removed from our proposals at the targeted consultation in July 2024, including:  

• reintroducing a compound area to the north of the converter station site 

• introducing a compound area to the east of the converter station site.   

• we have made changes to the compound to the west of the A256 to allow flexibility for the marine cable to be brought further inland. This would avoid the need for a construction compound in the field east of the A256.  

Mitigation and enhancement land   

We have introduced a new area of land to the west of the A256, opposite the Discovery Park. This land would be farmed in a way that provides additional foraging habitat for birds moving inland from Pegwell Bay.   

We have removed an area of land (further west and south of the existing overhead line), which is less suitable for this purpose.