Survey work underway at site of proposed Weston Marsh substation which forms part of Grimsby to Walpole project, with one neighbour labelling plans ‘horrendous’

Survey work at the site of a proposed substation is underway - with one resident labelling the plans ‘horrendous’

Jenny Pennington’s — whose Welland House Farm sits close to where drilling has begun at Weston Marsh — is campaigning against a number of huge energy projects proposed for Lincolnshire, and fears South Holland is being transformed into an ‘industrial area’.

The National Grid confirmed that surveys are currently taking place at the substation siting zone - which forms part of the proposed Grimsby to Walpole project - to understand ground conditions and engineering constraints better.

However, no construction work can begin before planning permission is granted, and an application has not yet been submitted.

“It’s going to be an eyesore for the area. It’s 35 acres so that’s pretty big,” Mrs Pennington said.

“They need to know this part of South Holland is, over the next 20 years if not sooner, becoming more of an industrial area.

“This is something we’ll face in the future. We’ve got so many energy projects coming through Lincolnshire.”

The Grimsby to Walpole project aims to install 420 pylons through the Lincolnshire countryside - from Grimsby in the north to Walpole near King’s Lynn, passing through East Lindsey, Boston Borough and South Holland - as part of a scheme dubbed The Great Grid Upgrade.

Mrs Pennington - who once offered to sell her house to Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero Ed Miliband after he said he’d be happy living near to a pylon - described the industrialisation of Lincolnshire’s farmland as ‘horrendous’.

“This is the best Grade One agricultural land in the country, we need it for growing crops,” she continued.

“What about food security? We need food.

“It’ absolutely ridiculous. It’s sacrilege as there are other things people can look at.

“We’re using outdated, archaic options like pylons. Solar could go on brownfield sites or roofs. Offshore is an option.”

There is already a substation in place at Bicker Fen, with a further one planned for Surfleet Marsh as part of the Outer Dowsing Offshore project.

A spokesperson for National Grid said: “Our plans for Grimsby to Walpole are still at a very early stage. Ground investigation surveys are currently happening at our substation siting zones, including at Weston Marsh, to identify and understand engineering constraints, the ecology of the area, and any other environmental considerations.

“Information from surveys, along with feedback from our first stage of public consultation, will help inform our thinking as we develop more detailed proposals, which will be presented to the public later this year.

“Only after planning consent is applied for and granted would any construction activities be able to start.”

LincsOnline has been sent images of two drilling rigs in fields near Mrs Pennington’s farm.

Underground or overhead, Outer Dowsing, Eastern Green Link and Ossian wind farms, Grimsby to Walpole Pylons, Weston Marsh substation, Meridian Solar pylons and cables from battery storage at Spalding Power Station are all underway or proposed.

Mrs Pennington and husband Ian have also raised concerns about how the infrastructure and the necessary haul roads will affect the land and how long it would take to recover.