G2 landing site in proximity to Walberswick

National Grid have just published a Press Release which says that following the previous statutory consultation (ending in March) they are proposing some ‘localised changes’ to their plans. These cover both changes to the project around the Saxmundham area and to the landfall at Walberswick. We think that this may involve moving the landfall to yet another location ‘G3’ but still close to Walberswick (this will be the third location after G1 and G2!)

However, they are not publishing the full details until 7 July. This will then trigger another ‘targeted’ consultation lasting from 7 July to 5 August but focused on those communities ‘most directly affected’. 

At this point WALL’s position remains that having landfall anywhere in the area around Walberswick is unacceptable and in any case LionLink should not be located on the Suffolk coast when there are so many better brownfield locations closer to the South East. However, we can’t really make any informed comments until we see the detail of any revised proposals on 7 July.

NGV say that a new set of consultation materials will be placed in the Saxmundham and Southwold Libraries (but not in Walberswick??!!!) for people to view and collect from 7 July. We assume that they will be available online from the same day.

watch this space

STOP PRESS

National Grid propose localised changes to their plans!!!

reasons why the LionLink proposal is wrong…

If you want to help us in any way or have any questions, please contact us on: info@wall-update.org

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Our Mission

WALL wholeheartedly supports the UK’s commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050 and recognises the importance of renewable energy to achieving that goal.

However, WALL believes that National Grid’s proposal to land their LionLink interconnector cable on the Suffolk coast is driven primarily by reducing costs and boosting their profits.
It will result in irreparable damage to the beautiful natural environment surrounding Walberswick, reduce biodiversity and harm local businesses and the economy.

WALL opposes LionLink and believes that the best solution is for National Grid to create an offshore grid and bring cables ashore at an existing brownfield site closer to London and the South East, where demand for electricity is highest.

David Riches David Riches

WALL Objection Letter (Feb 2025)

On behalf of Walberswick residents, Walberswick Against LionLink (WALL) has shared the following letter opposing Site G2 as the landfall site for the LionLink Multi-Purpose Interconnector (MPI). 

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Jeremy Solnick Jeremy Solnick

People Survey

Updates from the People Counter survey conducted on and around proposed landfall sites.

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Matthew Denny Matthew Denny

Wildlife Survey

Updates from the Wild Survey conducted on and around proposed landfall sites.

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Matthew Denny Matthew Denny

Big Walberswick Wildlife Watch

Please join the Big Walberswick Wildlife Watch and help us record the wildlife on Walberswick’s proposed landfall sites.

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Phil Stuart Phil Stuart

Art for WALL Fundraising Project

Local artists have created and donated a piece of art connected with Walberswick, a special place to them all, to help protect this precious habitat.

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David Riches David Riches

What Happens Next?

We had an amazing response to our call for everyone to send emails and letters to National Grid Ventures, MP’s, Councillors and others as part of the non-statutory consultation process.

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David Riches David Riches

Walberswick in the press

‘It’s like buying an iPhone and not having a cable’: UK’s bid for net zero in the balance due to grid ‘blind spot’

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FAQs

What does Lion Link want to do?

LionLink proposes to bring ashore cables interconnecting the UK to Holland at one of two greenfield sites in Walberswick. These sites are at the beach hut car park or at Manor Field in the centre of the village. The huge earthworks to bury the cables will impact upon the beach, the dunes, the river, the marshes and the various protected lands that surround Walberswick.

How long will it take?

National Grid Ventures say the LionLink project could take 8 years to complete, beginning with the initial consultation in 2022 through to the interconnector cable coming into service in 2030. National Grid will probably decide on their preferred landfall site in 2024, start a statutory consultation in 2025, aim to get planning approval in 2026 and start construction in 2027. The process of constructing the landfall site (either G or G2) and then laying the cable to the proposed substation near Friston could take up to 4 years.

What does it look like?

This aerial photograph shows the same landfall process happening at Bawdsey 30 miles away. The image hasn’t been doctored… the cable route is as wide as a motorway.

What’s the alternative?

An offshore grid through the North Sea connected to brownfield sites closer to where the power is needed would create a sustainable, non-invasive solution that can be added to. Our North Sea neighbours in Belgium, Germany, Holland and Denmark are rolling these out… why can’t we?

Who is LionLink?

LionLink is a private company posing as a public one. They are accountable only to their shareholders so are not making decisions that are focused on the public good or the costs they impose on our communities.

Who is WALL?

Walberswick Against LionLink is a local campaigning organisation formed by a group of Walberswick residents opposed to National Grid’s LionLink proposal. It started as a WhatsApp group which grew to have over 230 members. WALL is run by volunteers who are organised through a Steering Group with sub-groups working on Communications, Fund-raising, Environment, Legal, Energy Strategy and other topics.