Planning

How to have your say

Current stage: Pre-examination

You can now click here: to register to have your say on the Planning Inspectorate website.

Other ways to have your say:

  • Phone the Planning Inspectorate to request a form 0303 444 500

  • Or write to: Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN and request a form to be sent to you.

The response must be sent in by Monday 23 June 2025 at Midnight

Writing your comments

You must include comments with your registration. Your comments must be about what you consider to be the main issues and impacts. You should include as much detail as possible and cover anything that may affect your day-to-day life.

This information will be:

  • seen by the examining authority

  • published on the Planning Inspectorate website

You will be able to submit further comments during the examination of the application once you have registered.

If you have any questions please email:

SMM@SaveMinsterMarshes.com

What is important to you?

Some topics to consider in your response letter:

1. Wildlife and Habitats

  • Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve will be trenched for the second time since 2019, with visible scars from the Nemo Link project.

  • The proposed converter station is just meters from a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a critical haven for wildlife.

2. Archaeology and History

  • The area is rich with history from Roman invasion to medieval life.

  • The site includes remnants from heavy WW2 bombing.

  • Abbots Wall (built in medieval times) will be used for construction traffic

3. Flood Risk

  • The River Stour is prone to tidal storm surges, and groundwater in Thanet is vital to the water environment.

  • Surveys highlight flood risks at the converter site, with climate change predictions showing future flooding in that location.

4. Traffic and Road Disruptions

  • Four years of construction may close or disrupt the A256 dual carriageway for cable trenching.

  • Raising the converter site to avoid flooding will require 36,000 additional lorry trips, adding to construction traffic on Thanet Way and Sandwich bypass.

5. Construction Noise

  • Work is planned 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM, potentially disturbing nearby residents.

6. Construction Compounds

  • Compounds will be located at:

    • Between A299 and Sandwich Road (near Lord of the Manor Roundabout and Cliffsend).

    • Both sides of A256 Richborough Way, just north of Ebbsfleet Roundabout.

7. Light Pollution

  • The converter station site, one of Thanet’s few remaining dark spaces, will be lit all night.

8. Loss of Farmland

  • Approximately 15 hectares of farmland will be permanently lost.

9. Footpath and Cycle Route Closures

  • Footpaths: TE35, TE36, TE26, TE37, TE39, TR15, TR33, Saxon Shore Way, King Charles III Coastal Path.

  • Cycle Routes: NCN Route 15 (Viking Coastal Trail), Cantii Way, Contra Trail National Trail, and the cycle lane from Jutes Lane to Ebbsfleet Lane North.
    Exact details depend on construction schedules, which are not yet public.

10. Recreational Facilities

  • Temporary disruptions to golf courses and parks are expected.

DATABASE

Discover our structured Airtable database below, tailored for searching of all National Grid Sea Link submission documents to the Planning Inspectorate, with searchable tags.

Submit your document reviews via the "Add Review" tab. We will then include this in our final submission to the planning inspectorate.

Watch the video guide below for a step-by-step tutorial on navigating the database.

HOW TO USE THE DATABASE