Dear Corby Glen Parish Council,
We wanted to keep you up to date on progress across the two core elements of National Grid’s Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire proposals.
These include:
- a proposed new 60 km overhead line between Weston Marsh and East Leicestershire, along with two new substations
- upgrades to around 60 km of existing overhead line between East Leicestershire and Grendon in Northamptonshire.
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire is part of The Great Grid Upgrade – a programme of major infrastructure projects across England and Wales focused on getting more home‑grown energy from secure, cleaner and more affordable sources to where it’s needed. The programme will also help support local economies and create jobs.
With electricity demand expected to keep growing in the years ahead, these upgrades play an important role in building a more secure and resilient future energy network.
Next steps
Since our consultation closed last summer, our teams have been carefully reviewing the feedback we received. This, alongside findings from ongoing environmental and ecological surveys, is helping to shape the development of our proposals.
We expect to share updated proposals as part of a further public consultation later this year. This will include details such as individual pylon locations for the new overhead line and proposed construction access routes.
As part of the consultation, we will offer briefings with parish councils to talk through the proposals and discuss them with you as elected representatives.
Following the consultation, we will analyse the feedback received, finalise our assessments and continue to develop our plans, ahead of submitting an application to the Planning Inspectorate in 2028.
Working with local landowners along the proposed overhead line
We have started engaging with potentially affected landowners and stakeholders along the preferred corridor for the new overhead line, including transport, archaeology and environmental teams at several local councils.
As an initial step, we have written to around 200 landowners and occupiers to request voluntary access for non-intrusive surveys. These surveys include walking potential route options and undertaking ecological surveys, such as great crested newt and badger surveys.
The letters also provide background information on the project and explain why access is required.
If you or any residents in your community would like to discuss the letters or the survey work, please contact our land agents, Savills, by emailing WMEL@savills.com or calling 0800 567 7600.
Upgrading of existing line
Over the past few weeks, you may have seen members of our team along the project route carrying out on‑foot assessments. This work involves checking the condition of the existing overhead line and reviewing access points.
These surveys are important as they help us better understand the local area and inform how we develop our proposals.
While some surveys take place on publicly accessible land, there are occasions where access to private land is required. Landowners and occupiers affected by this work will have received correspondence from our land agents, Savills.
In the coming weeks, ecological surveys will begin to help us understand local environmental conditions. Wherever possible, we will always seek to agree access with landowners and occupiers in advance, and all survey staff will carry identification.
Over the coming months, our land agents will continue to contact landowners and occupiers along both the proposed new line route and the existing line to discuss the timing of any upcoming intrusive surveys.
Keep in touch
We encourage members of the community to get in touch if they have any questions about the project. You can contact our community relations team by emailing contactwmel@nationalgrid.com or calling 0800 138 9191. Our lines are open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5:30pm.
For land‑related enquiries, including questions about survey access, please contact our land agents, Savills, by emailing WMEL@savills.com or calling 0800 567 7600.
With best wishes.
Yours sincerely.
Victoria Strickland
Project Director
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire
nationalgrid
