East Riding Power Cable Plan Approved

Plans for a new undersea power cable between Scotland and Bridlington have taken a step forwards.

An undersea power cable that could help bring clean energy to 2 million homes is set to run through the East Riding.

East Riding Council has approved plans for a 42 mile stretch to run from the cable landing point at Fraisthorpe to Drax Power Station.

Sean Stokoe from National Grid says the SEGL2 cable is an important project for the UK's future energy needs.

The SEGL2 cable will run under the North Sea from Scotland to Bridlington and then on to Drax Power station.

Sean Stokoe is from National Grid explains what it will mean for the East Riding.

The project is a joint venture between National Grid Electricity Transmission and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

Northward, the cables would run beneath the North Sea to Peterhead, in Aberdeenshire.

At the other end, they would run west from the River Ouse into North Yorkshire to a new Converter at Drax Power Station, subject to Selby District Council approving the plans.

In the East Riding, the cables would run south of Holme-Upon-Spalding Moor and Market Weighton roughly in line with the A614, past Driffield to the coast.

Works are set to start in autumn 2024, subject to the approval of the entire project, with the lines operational by 2029.

Councillors on the East Riding Planning Committee heard this week that the cables would carry electricity from Scotland, where there is an oversupply, to England and allow power to be moved to where it is needed in the future.

The committee heard the direction of travel for electricity could be reversed if demand grew in Scotland and supply in England.

Two cables measuring 15cm in diameter would run along the route, buried at a depth of at least 0.9m.

But the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Louise Staples, who spoke on behalf of 116 objecting landowners at a planning meeting this week, claimed the proposed 0.9m depth of the cables was too shallow for agricultural land.

Council planning officers said it would be unreasonable to require cables at depths lower than 0.9m for the whole of the route because it would be unnecessary in some places.

But councillors also heard 27 separate objections had been lodged over construction, environment and farming concerns, including the one from the NFU on behalf of several landowners.

Mr Stokoe told councillors the cable had to be operational by 2029 to help meet Government targets for the UK to be net zero by 2050.

He added cables would be deeper than the 0.9m minimum along 80 per cent of the route in response to landowners’ concerns and the National Grid would work with farmers.

The planning manager said:

“This project is nationally significant, the UK Government recognises that to meet its legally-binding targets it must reinforce the electricity transmission network.

“The National Grid is aware of objections but these can be dealt with through land agreements.

“We will undertake the works as quickly and efficiently as possible, we prefer to reach voluntary agreements with landowners but we will pursue compulsory purchase orders as a last resort.”

But Louise Staples said the underground cables would not benefit those whose land it ran under and could devalue it.

The NFU representative said:

“This could have a detrimental effect on the land, it will mean landowners are restricted as to what they can and can’t do on their land.

“Underground cables are not expected to be used to transmit electricity in 100 years’ time, most projects like this have land agreements lasting 99 years.

“Depths of 1.2m have been agreed on six other projects, depths of 0.9m could interfere with farming and agriculture.”

Plans for the 42 mile stretch in the East Riding were approved at the meeting.