National Grid's Sea Link project 22/23

The Suffolk coast is currently the location for a number of energy proposals by National Grid, including three interconnectors. These are undersea/underground cables, two of which (Nautilus and EuroLink) would link our national grid to those of other countries and provide links to offshore windfarms, whilst one (Sea Link) would link Suffolk to Kent to reinforce the UK’s energy network.  

One of the options for the undersea cables to emerge onto land (the landfall site) for the current Sea Link proposals is within the RSPB’s North Warren nature reserve and Leiston-Aldeburgh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This area supports many rare and special species, including nationally important numbers of wintering White-fronted Geese. A cable route here could potentially cause disturbance to birds and other wildlife and damage to precious habitats during construction, even affecting our longer-term management of the site due to restrictions around the area of the cable.   

National Grid’s alternative route option for the proposed Sea Link cable route runs near (and may cross) land within the Sandlings Special Protection Area (SPA) and the Leiston-Aldeburgh SSSI, raising concerns about potential disturbance and loss of habitat for breeding Woodlark, Nightjar, Turtle Dove and Nightingale should this route be chosen.  

The RSPB disagrees with development in such precious wildlife sites on the Suffolk coast and elsewhere in the UK and we therefore object to the proposals here. We are extremely disappointed that routes within nationally and internationally important wildlife sites have even been proposed.  

Recently we have also been made aware of proposals for the EuroLink interconnector. The onshore cable route options proposed for this project all affect important wildlife sites, including RSPB Minsmere and part of the Minsmere-Walberswick SPA which is of international importance for its wetland, heathland and coastal birds, including the iconic Stone Curlew and Nightjar. It could also damage RSPB North Warren’s wetlands which support a vast array of wildlife. Again, we are very concerned about disturbance to wildlife and damage to habitats during construction, along with any buildings or facilities which might be needed in sensitive areas. 

If the National Grid interconnector proposals go ahead at these sites, the combined damage and disturbance from these projects and other energy projects to the wildlife and protected habitats on the Suffolk coast could be catastrophic. We also understand the serious concerns that these proposals are causing to local communities and all those who value the wildlife of the Suffolk coast. 

We will be responding to the public consultations for Sea Link and EuroLink, objecting to proposals and asking National Grid to look more strategically for options which minimise impacts on important wildlife.  

If given the go ahead, the proposed electrical network reinforcement cable called Sea Link, would take electricity that has been generated from various sources including offshore windfarms, underground and directly through RSPB North Warren nature reserve as part of a connection between Suffolk and the Kent coast.  

To run these cables through RSPB North Warren, National Grid propose drilling the cables through a working area across the centre of the wetland site which could cause large scale damage and disturbance.  

The nature reserve has been an established and undisturbed haven for wildlife since 1939 and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its conservation importance. The grazing marshes and reedbeds at RSPB North Warren host thousands of ducks, swans and geese in winter whilst spring brings breeding Bittern and Marsh Harrier. 

Not only could National Grid’s Sea Link cables potentially be routed through RSPB North Warren, but the nature reserve has also been identified as an option for two other similar cable routes called EuroLink and Nautilus, leading to the prospect of repeated damage to habitats and disturbance to wildlife over many years if these are also routed through the site. 

The RSPB has questioned why such an important wildlife site has been put forward as a preferred location for this development, and believe that National Grid has not yet convincingly shown that no alternative routes are available.  

Damaging developments which would affect a SSSI are normally only allowed as a last resort where there are no other alternatives.  

With this in mind, the RSPB is asking National Grid to explain why routing the cables through RSPB North Warren is their preferred option and why they have been unable to avoid such an important site for the Sea Link project and potentially other similar projects in Suffolk. The RSPB is also asking the company to look again at all the potential options to avoid such important wildlife sites, including options they have not yet considered.