Hintlesham Woods update

We have now taken the decision to remove Hintlesham Woods Option 2 from our proposals for the Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement. 

At our statutory consultation between January and March 2022, we asked for feedback on the following two options for the routeing of the reinforcement near Hintlesham Woods:  

• Option 1 would see a new section of overhead line built to the north of Ramsey Wood, with the existing 400 kV overhead line diverted onto these pylons. The new 400 kV overhead line would then reuse the existing pylons through the woods. 
• Option 2 would see a new section of overhead line built parallel and to the south of the existing line within Hintlesham Little Wood. The overhead lines would run through the woods, with the pylons being located outside of the woodland.  

We asked stakeholders if they had a preferred option, but the feedback we received did not give us a clear way forward. Since then, we have continued to consult and have undertaken further technical studies and surveys, whilst maintaining ongoing discussions with consultees and landowners to explore both options.  

Our decision to remove Option 2 from our proposals is based on several important considerations including but not limited to: 

• consultation feedback and engagement with stakeholders and landowners  
• the findings of environmental surveys and the presence of rare and protected species in the woodland  
• policy designations including ancient woodland and Sites of Special Scientific Interest 
• landscape and visual impact
• further design and engineering studies 

When weighing up and balancing these considerations against national planning policy and our licence obligations, we have concluded that Option 1 should be taken forward.   

Whilst we understand that this is not the outcome some will have wanted, we hope that this will provide clarity on our way forward prior to submitting our application for development consent in Spring 2023.  

There will be a further opportunity for you to give your views on our proposals directly to the Planning Inspector when our application is examined.    

Further detailed maps can be found in our can be found on sheets 6A and 8A of our General Arrangement Plans (September 2022). 

If you have any questions, please contact us.