Information for landowners
When developing proposals for network upgrades, we need to understand who has a legal interest in the land in and around the areas being considered as part of the projects.
In the DCO process, anyone with a legal interest in land is known as a Person with an Interest in Land (PIL). If you are identified as a PIL, we will contact you directly.
Whilst much of the information we need to confirm a legal interest on is available on public registers, we have appointed land referencing firm Ardent to contact individual landowners to verify the publicly available information and ensure NGET has have made best efforts to identify any potentially impacted landowners. Ardent operates across multiple sectors, providing land and consenting advice to support the promotion and delivery of major projects in the UK and Ireland.
More information regarding National Grid’s land rights and payment schedules, can be found here.
Ardent will also assist with contacting landowners and occupiers to arrange access for non-intrusive and intrusive surveys which we plan to carry out from summer 2024.
More detailed information for landowners, along with relevant contact information can be found on the landowner page of our project website.
If you are a landowner and believe your property may be affected by our proposals, and want to talk to our lands team, please email [email protected] or call 0203 693 2500 or write to: EGL 3 and EGL 4, Ardent, 36 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 5JL.
Surveys
To understand more about the local environment, and to inform the environmental impact assessment, we need to carry out surveys. These will be on land within the corridor, on some adjoining land, and areas that may be identified through consultation feedback as potentially sensitive.
These surveys are to assess the landscape, ecology and cultural heritage aspects of the area, to inform further detailed environmental assessments. All survey information gathered will be published either as part of our preliminary environmental information report at our next stage of consultation or to support our application for a development consent order.
Ongoing surveys
Below is a list of our ongoing and upcoming surveys. If for any reason a survey cannot take place on the scheduled date, such as poor weather conditions, we will endeavour to reschedule the survey in a timely manner.
Access to land plots are agreed before any surveys may take place. If you are a landowner and have questions about the surveys on your land, please visit the landowners page for more information.
| Date | Survey | Locations | Description |
| July 2024 | Ecology walkover including UK Habitat Classification | Burgh le Marsh/Little Steeping Firsby Stickney | Non-intrusive walkover surveys to assess habitats and identify requirements for targeted protected species surveys associated with the projects’ proposed cable route. |
| August 2024 | Watercourses sampling including aquatic surveys | Wold Grift Drain, Willougby High Drain, Steeping River, Trader Bank, River Witham, South Forty Foot Drain, River Welland River Nene | Non-intrusive surveys of main rivers and watercourses that could be crossed by the projects’ proposed cable route. |
| July 2024 onwards | Ecology UK Hab walkover surveys | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | Undertaken by pairs of surveyors. The survey is an initial assessment of the ecological features present, or potentially present within a specified area. It includes the mapping the habitat types present and recording condition of habitats present. It also assessing the suitability of habitats for protected or priority species and recordings sightings of invasive non-native plant and animal species. |
| August 2024 | Aquatic Habitat Surveys | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | A pair of surveyors will walk the length of a watercourse, or suitable drains/ditches, mapping and assessing the habitat for important aquatic features. The survey will determine the need for further targeted aquatic surveys. |
| August2024 | River Condition Assessment and Ditch Assessment | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | A pair of surveyors will walk the length of a watercourse, drains and ditches, to gather information on the characteristics of the watercourse/drain/ditch to inform a condition assessment. |
| August 2024 | Aquatic macroinvertebrate surveys | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | Targeted surveys to identify and record the macroinvertebrate assemblage of a watercourse. Conducted on either the bank of a watercourse (river or drain), or in the watercourse channel. Where accessible and safe, three minutes is spent disturbing bed of the watercourse with the foot while collecting invertebrates in a net. A similar sweep is conducted from bankside through vegetation. |
| August 2024 | Aquatic macrophyte and fish surveys | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | Targeted field surveys to identify and record the macrophyte (plants that occur in or near water) and fish communities present. Macrophyte surveys are conducted on either the bank of a watercourse (river or drain), or in the watercourse channel, with fish surveys conducted within the watercourse channel or via boat (depending on watercourse size). Fish surveys are conducted by certified surveyors and under an Environment Agency permit. Fish surveys use electrofishing equipment to stun, but not harm, fish. Fish are returned to the watercourse following analysis. Depending on accessibility of the watercourse, water samples may also be taken. |
| August 2024 | Intertidal Bird Surveys | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | A pair of surveyors will conduct walked transects or stationary vantage point surveys along the coastline to spatial distribution and activity information of waders and wildfowl on the intertidal shorelines and sea surface. Information will be collected on OS maps or digital devices. |
| August 2024 onwards | Environmental Walkover Surveys | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | A pair of surveyors will walk the land parcel looking at the nature of the land and the features within it. The surveyors will records information on a digital device or OS maps and may take photos to support the recorded information. |
| August to October 2024 | Landscape Survey | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | A pair of surveyors will undertake walkovers to verify the landscape characteristics, key visual receptors and seek to identify preliminary viewpoint locations for photography. |
| August 2024 | Flood Risk Assessment Survey | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | A pair of surveyors will undertake a walkover of the survey area, focussing on surface water features such as drains and ditches, including condition, water levels and presence of silt. They will observe topography of the survey area and will make a note of soft ground and evidence of previous flooding. |
| September 2024 onwards | Non-intrusive Ground Investigation (topographic, electrical resistivity tomography, ground penetrating radar, overhead line, bathymetry) | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | These surveys are undertaken to gather data on the natural physical features of the area, such as terrain, drainage ditches, watercourses, as well as man-made features such as roads and railways. Various techniques are used to collect data including surveying, scanning and use of un-manned remote-controlled craft. |
| September 2024 onwards | Intrusive Ground Investigations (exploratory holes to include boreholes, trial pits, cone penetration tests, window sampling, dynamic cone penetrometer tests) | Lincolnshire – East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland Norfolk – King's Lynn and West Norfolk | The purpose of the ground investigation is to gather data on the ground conditions within the project area to inform the design of the various elements of the project. Exploratory holes will be used to collect samples for laboratory testing, carry out in-situ testing e.g. infiltration tests and provide descriptions of the ground profile. Groundwater monitoring standpipes will be installed in selected holes. All works are to be undertaken initially via Permitted Development Rights and in agreement with the Land owners, by an experienced and competent ground investigation contractor and, following completion of the works, land will be restored in accordance with Environment Agency good practice guidance. |
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us by emailing [email protected] or calling us on 0800 298 0405.
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