Ardleigh Legal Fund against Pylons & Substations

Aim

To oppose National Grid’s (NG) proposals to build a huge and damaging Substation, pylons etc in Ardleigh. NG must consider alternatives.

Saving Ardleigh!

Your help is needed NOW!

Raising funds to oppose National Grid’s proposals to build a huge and damaging Substation (known as the East Anglia Connection Node-EACN) in Ardleigh which will connect the proposed Norwich to Tilbury project to two windfarm substations and a converter station in Little Bromley. There are alternative solutions, and National Grid must be challenged legally about why they have refused to consider much less damaging options. 

National Grid’s Norwich to Tilbury project is making its final planning application to the Planning Inspectorate. The Parish Councils continue to fight for your interests, in collaboration with the regional campaign group Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons (ESNP). Ardleigh Parish Council has engaged a barrister and will need planning specialists to provide expert help at the examination.  We estimate this to cost £25,000.

Why this Crowdfunder?                        

This is our chance to fight for Ardleigh and its immediate neighbours (especially Little Bromley) to oppose National Grid’s proposals to build a huge and damaging Substation in Ardleigh as part of their Norwich to Tilbury project alongside other infratructure including pylons, haul roads and compounds.   Ardleigh Parish Council has engaged a planning barrister, Simon Bell to represent us. We need to raise £25,000 and have made a good start but now we need your help.

You have already contributed to the Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons group fight against National Grid’s plans?      

This fundraiser is for issues unique to Ardleigh and its immediate neighbours including Little Bromley. We need our own barrister and potentially other planning experts to focus on Ardleigh and Little Bromley at the forthcoming Planning Inspector examinations. Our own barrister will work alongside the Essex, Suffolk Norfolk Pylons legal team where it will benefit us.

You are not affected by National Grid’s plans? 

Are you sure? Ardleigh and Little Bromley would be profoundly affected by the whole ill thought out scheme. Our villages are being sacrificed in many ways:

• Huge Buildings visible for miles : 3 substations & 1 converter station each 520m x 230m x 15m high, built on prime agricultural land (see image below).
• Traffic : At least 115 HGV’s from A12 into Ardleigh & 424 HGV’s from A120 through Little Bromley 7 days a week for at least 3 years! Even crossing the road could be difficult!  Property prices fall; pollution and noise levels rise.
• Pylons  21 pylons on a 5.6km route circling the village, each pylon  50m high.  Note Ardleigh church is 'only' 18m high.
• 4.5km of underground trenches each 100m wide during lengthy construction; no trees can ever be planted on top. Footpaths destroyed.
• 4 .5 km of haul roads : through Ardleigh and Little Bromley.  Our narrow country lanes and footpaths to be altered to accommodate the specialist lorries, plus new roads used to access construction and ongoing access.
• Construction compound sites : any space National Grid wishes to commandeer, such as the grassed area at the start of Dedham Road, parts of fields.
• Habitat destroyed; ancient sites damaged : much of the land affected borders on Ardleigh’s protected sites.  

The image below taken from National Grid's own documents shows the scale of the impact around Ardleigh and Little Bromley- darkest blue is top grade agricultural land!

How can you help?                                                           

By contributing to this appeal, giving whatever you can. Just click on the links or contact Ardleigh Parish Council directly [email protected]

We’re off to a good start with pledges made so far of over £10,000.

Now it’s your turn to help save Ardleigh and Little Bromley.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made