Investment and growth in Thurrock

National Grid is proposing to construct approximately 180 kilometres of new 400 kilovolt electricity cabling connecting Norwich in Norfolk to Tilbury in Thurrock.

National Grid submitted its application for development consent for the Norwich to Tilbury project to the Planning Inspectorate in August 2025. The application is currently in the pre-examination stage.

For more information about the project, go to the project page on National Grid’s website: Norwich to Tilbury | National Grid. For more information about the application and examination process, go to the Planning Inspectorate’s page: Norwich to Tilbury - Project information.

Main proposals in Thurrock

In Thurrock, the proposals include:
• Installation of new pylons and overhead 400kV cabling.
• Construction of a new substation to the north of Linford.
• Installation of underground cabling near the new substation to replace some existing overhead cabling.
• Modification of a section of existing overhead cabling around Chadwell St Mary and Linford.
• Temporary installation of a separate set of pylons and overhead line at the section that is being modified.

Proposed change in Bulphan

On 12th December 2025, National Grid notified the Planning Inspectorate of a request to change the details of its application, proposing to increase the project’s order limits, east of Bulphan and west of Langdon Hills Golf Club, to facilitate works for the protection of an existing fuel pipeline. Further details and plans of the proposed change can be found in document 9.1 Notification of proposed change to DCO application - Change Request 1 (Bulphan) on the Planning Inspectorate’s website: Norwich to Tilbury - Project information.

National Grid will be hosting a public consultation on this change between 19 January and 20 February 2026. If you wish to submit a response to this consultation, you can do so between those dates, before National Grid decides whether to formally submit this change request to the Planning Inspectorate.

Pre-examination stage

The application is currently in the pre-examination stage. The period for registration as an interested party closed on Thursday 27 November. The council submitted a representation, in which it explained the main technical issues with the project and stated its objection to the application unless those issues are resolved. The council’s submitted representation can be accessed here:

Full details of all the representations submitted have been published on the Planning Inspectorate’s webpage: Relevant Representations | Norwich to Tilbury.

The Planning Inspectorate will publish a draft examination timetable when the preliminary meeting, at the end of the pre-examination stage, is scheduled.

Public consultation 

National Grid has undertaken a series of statutory and non-statutory public consultations during the pre-submission stage of its application process. The council’s responses to these public consultations are accessible below.

The public consultation period has now closed as National Grid has submitted its application for the project.