Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan

Support

Representation ID: 2389

Received: 19/04/2024

Respondent: National Grid Electricity Distribution (South West) PLC

Agent: Lucy White Planning Limited

The Government is committed to achieve net zero by 2050. The shift towards electricity to heat our homes and power our cars is critical to achieving this goal and the National Grid is playing a crucial role in meeting this commitment by increasing capacity to meet the growing demand for electricity. As a result of the increased demands for energy within our existing towns and cities, the capacity of the National Grid is limited and may not be able to accommodate further development without deliver of new infrastructure, including new sub-stations.

NGED strongly recommends that local planning authorities contact them at the earliest possible opportunity for confirmation of the National Grid’s capacity to accommodate planned growth in their area. If capacity is limited, LPAs should explore alternative locations for growth which may be less constrained or allocate land, in consultation with NGED, to accommodate a new sub-station. NGED should also be involved in the masterplanning of any development allocation which includes a large sub-station.

The timescales for delivery of a new sub-station and the implications for occupation of new homes should be taken into account in preparing the LPA’s housing trajectory.

Support

Representation ID: 2390

Received: 19/04/2024

Respondent: National Grid Electricity Distribution (South West) PLC

Agent: Lucy White Planning Limited

NGED comments specifically on the proposed allocation of land for delivering of Spitalgate Heath Garden Village including 3,700 new homes.
A 132kV overhead line traverses the allocation to the west of the railway line, with 3 steel lattice pylons sited within the proposed allocation land.
NGED does not object to the proposed allocation, however, the proposals should serve to retain the overhead line in situ and incorporate the line into the proposed masterplan. The diversion or undergrounding of the relatively short section of the overhead line which crosses the site would be illogical; undergrounding of three pylons would result in a requirement for two larger terminal towers, potentially involving third party land.
The local planning authority should contact NGED at the earliest opportunity to ascertain the capacity of the national grid in this area and whether an additional sub-station is required to increase capacity to serve the development.