OnShore work

The onshore part of the Viking Link project is known as the UK Onshore Scheme.

The UK Onshore Scheme comprises of the installation of two underground direct current (DC) cables from the landfall point to the converter station; the construction of a permanent access road, as well as the installation of underground alternating current (AC) cables from the converter station to the existing substation at Bicker Fen.

Converter station and landfall sites

Potential sites for a landfall point and a converter station were discussed with representatives from local authorities, statutory bodies, parish councils as well as local residents during the Phase 1 consultation which was held between 11 April and 20 May, 2016 on the shortlisted site options. These discussions helped to inform our site selection assessments.

Comments and feedback from this phase of consultation were carefully considered and, on 22 August 2016, we confirmed our preferred locations for the landfall point and converter station.

The landfall point is at Boygrift, East Lindsey (adjacent to Sandilands Golf club) and the converter station site is at North Ing Drove, South Holland (within the parish of Donington).

These are shown on the maps below:

Proposed location for the Viking Link landfall site

Proposed location for the Viking Link converter station site

Local opinion played an important part in the decision and we selected these sites after careful consideration of all the information provided by local people, along with environmental and technical information. We would like to thank everyone who participated in the Phase 1 consultation and provided comments.

More information on how we selected these sites is available in our UK Onshore Scheme: Preferred Sites Selection Report and details of the issues raised during the consultation and how they have been taken into account can be found in our UK Onshore Scheme: Phase 1 Consultation Feedback Report (Volume 1 - Introduction and Approach; Volume 2 - Feedback; Volume 3 - Appendices).

Cable route corridor options between proposed landfall and converter station sites

We identified two broad route corridor options (purple and orange route corridors) for the DC underground cables between the landfall and converter station sites. From Monday 5 September until Friday 14 October 2016, we held a Phase 2 consultation to ask local residents, landowners, farmers and other stakeholders for their views on these cable route corridor options and to see if there is anything else we needed to consider when deciding the proposed cable route.

After careful consideration of all the information and feedback provided along with the environmental and technical information available, the purple corridor was selected as the proposed cable route corridor for the underground cables between the landfall and converter station sites as shown on the map below.

On 15 March 2017, the proposed route corridor option was confirmed. Over time, the cable route has been become more defined than the original:

The benefits of the route include:

Avoids larger settlements which will help to reduce potential construction impacts
Avoids the lower lying coastal areas, where there is a higher water table and more watercourses and drains to cross
Provides more opportunities for direct access to the construction works from existing roads

More information on how we selected the route corridor is available in our UK Onshore Scheme: Preferred Route Corridor Report and details of the issues raised during the consultation and how they have been taken into account can be found in our UK Onshore Scheme: Phase 2 Consultation Feedback Report (Volume 1 - Introduction and Approach; Volume 2 - Feedback; Volume 3 - Appendices).

Various assessments and investigations were done which resulted in narrowing the corridor of interest for the underground cables from 1 kilometre to 200 metres wide and to identify an alignment within this reduced corridor as well as suitable access points to the highway network and locations for temporary construction areas.

Planning applications:

National Grid Viking Link Limited (NGVL) submitted individual planning applications for the Viking Link UK Onshore Scheme to the following Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) on 24th August 2017:

Boston Borough Council
East Lindsey District Council
North Kesteven District Council
South Holland District Council

Planning permission was sought for the following components:

At the landfall site, two (2) submarine high voltage direct current (DC) cables will be installed between the Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS) point on the beach and the joint connecting the submarine and onshore cables in a Transition Joint Bay (TJB);
From the TJB, two (2) onshore DC cables will be installed between the landfall at Boygrift and the converter station at North Ing Drove in South Holland;
Construction of associated Temporary Construction Compounds (TCC), Temporary Works Areas (TWA) and temporary vehicle access arrangements to facilitate construction work;
Erection of converter station buildings and outdoor electrical equipment together with the construction of internal roads, erection of security fencing and provision of landscaping at North Ing Drove in South Holland;
Construction of a permanent access road from the A52 to the converter station site including a bridge crossing over Hammond Beck;
Installation of up to six (6) onshore high voltage alternating current (AC) cables between the converter station at North Ing Drove and the existing Bicker Fen 400 kV Substation;
Installation of link pillars along the AC cable route for inspection and maintenance purposes, which will be contained within fenced areas;
Installation of two (2) substation bays at Bicker Fen 400 kV Substation to allow Viking Link to be connected to the National Electricity Transmission System;
Installation of temporary and permanent land drainage works as well as provision of temporary water management areas to assist with construction activities; and
Installation of fibre-optic cable(s) with the high voltage AC and DC cables for the purpose of monitoring cable performance.

Detailed information on the results of the surveys and assessments are contained in the project’s Environmental Statement which was submitted as part of the UK Onshore Scheme planning applications. The planning documents submitted as part of the applications are available within the Documents webpage.

During the Phase 2 consultation, we also asked for views on the design style for the converter station building. This feedback led to the production of the Converter Station Design Code which was included in the planning applications.

Outcome

The LPAs undertook formal statutory consultation prior to determining the applications. Boston Borough, North Kesteven District and South Holland District Councils all approved the applications relevant to their area. East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) decided to refuse the application. NGVL appealed the decision by ELDC and the refusal was overturned by the planning inspector in December 2018.

Onshore Work in Denmark

In Denmark, the project will connect to the Danish power grid at the existing 400kV substation in Revsing, southern Jutland. The proposed direct current (DC) cable route is developed from technical, economic and potential environmental impacts. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been undertaken and the extent of the assessment will be agreed with the appropriate stakeholders.

In 2018 the project received permits from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and the Danish Energy Agency for the onshore and offshore installations in Denmark. In addition, the Municipality of Vejen has approved a supplement to the municipal plan and the final local plan for the transformer station in Revsing.

Further information (in Danish) about the onshore work and the cable route in Denmark is available here.

Onshore work in Germany and the Netherlands

The Viking Link interconnector will pass through the German and Dutch Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in the North Sea. There are no onshore elements for Viking Link in Germany and the Netherlands.