Calls for withdrawal of Sea Link proposal

National Grid's Sea Link project would see undersea cables coming ashore near Sandwich in Kent, and Thorpeness and Aldeburgh in Suffolk

Conservationists and campaign groups are calling for the withdrawal of "flawed" plans for 90 miles (145km) of undersea electricity cables between Kent and Suffolk.

National Grid's Sea Link project would see undersea cables coming ashore near Sandwich in Kent, and Thorpeness and Aldeburgh in Suffolk.

A letter, signed by Kent Wildlife Trust, Save Minster Marshes, the Suffolk Preservation Society and Herne Bay and Sandwich MP Sir Roger Gale, among others, has been sent to the Examining Authority requesting the Sea Link Development Consent Order (DCO) application be withdrawn.

National Grid said it had been "listening to local communities" and had "submitted a thorough Environmental Statement".

The proposals for the Sea Link scheme total £1.1bn and have been designed to connect Suffolk and Kent to strengthen the UK's electricity grid.

The cable would carry renewable power from offshore wind, interconnectors and nuclear power to where it is needed.

A sub-station and converter station has also been planned for Minster, near Ramsgate, Kent, and near Saxmundham in Suffolk.

Kent Wildlife Trust said both sites were within "landscapes of multiple national and international conservation designations".

'Riddled with errors'

It added that the letter highlighted serious legal, procedural, and environmental failings in the application, including inadequate ecological surveys and a failure to meet statutory consultation requirements.

Emma Waller, planning & policy officer for Kent Wildlife Trust and campaign lead for Rethink Sea Link, said: "This application is riddled with errors and omissions.

"It falls far short of the standards required for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.

"We fully support the transition to clean energy and understand new infrastructure is required to decarbonise the energy sector - but this cannot come at the cost of the environment."

A National Grid spokesperson said Sea Link was "designed to support a cleaner, more secure home-grown energy system and provide power for up to two million homes and businesses".

"We've been listening to local communities and representatives over the past three years to help shape our proposals, and our application has been accepted for Examination, meeting the required standards for consultation and engagement," said the spokesperson.

"We have submitted a thorough Environmental Statement covering all areas as agreed at the early stage of the planning process. Throughout the process we have provided further information when requested and we will continue to work closely with the Planning Inspectorate."

National Grid previously told the BBC a decision was expected in late 2026.

It added that, if the project was approved, construction could begin in 2026 and be finished in 2031.