The LionLink subsea interconnector project has selected the town of Walberswick, Suffolk, as its preferred landfall location.
The LionLink interconnector, a proposed subsea cable connecting Dutch offshore wind farms to the UK and Dutch electricity grids, will be capable of transmitting up to 1.8GW of electricity once complete. Following two rounds of public consultation, during which time the choices for the landfall site of the cable were narrowed down to Walberswick and Southwold, also in Suffolk, Walberswick has been selected as the final landfall point for the cable.
National Grid states that several factors contributed to the choice of Walberswick over Southwold for the landfall. First, the Walberswick route will require a much shorter onshore cable route of 19.9km compared to the Southwold route’s required 32.8 km, and existing farm tracks in the area can be used for access during construction, all of which minimizes disruption to residents. Furthermore, the coast at Walberswick is less susceptible to coastal erosion and flooding, and fewer heritage trees, hedgerows and waterways will be impacted by making landfall at Walberswick.
Local residents have been reassured that no construction will take place on Walberswick beach, and following construction, no visible infrastructure will remain on the beach or shoreline. Next month, LionLink will run two community drop-in sessions in the local area and an online webinar to allow locals to find out more about the project and its next steps.
Statutory consultations for LionLink are set to take place in the autumn and winter of 2025, with an application for a development consent order (DCO) expected to be submitted in 2026. A decision on the application will be given in 2027, and if approved, LionLink could be operational as early as 2032.
Ben Wilson, president of National Grid Ventures, said: “After two rounds of community consultation and detailed technical and environmental assessments, we have selected Walberswick as our preferred landfall site for LionLink. We have carefully chosen Walberswick for its shorter cable route, which will minimise disruption and environmental impact. Our commitment is to respect and protect the local environment and community while we deliver a nationally important energy project that will strengthen the UK’s energy security.
“We are dedicated to engaging with residents, addressing their concerns, and providing clear information about how we will minimise disruption to their daily lives and the natural environment when we build this project.”
