{"id":55413,"date":"2026-06-03T16:22:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T16:22:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/55413\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T16:22:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T16:22:32","slug":"is-this-the-fate-of-weston-marsh-if-substation-gets-go-ahead-people-in-walpole-share-what-its-like-being-the-epicentre-of-large-energy-schemes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/55413\/","title":{"rendered":"Is this the fate of Weston Marsh if substation gets go ahead? People in Walpole share what it\u2019s like being the epicentre of large energy schemes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You don\u2019t need to travel far to see what the future of Weston Marsh could be if two large substations are given the green light.<\/p>\n

People in the Walpole area of Norfolk are being surrounded by energy infrastructure projects with the expansion of the existing sub station, pylons along with a number of solar farms and battery storage sites.<\/p>\n

But their lives have also been left in limbo in recent years after National Grid has announced a raft of schemes which focus on the three Walpole villages as the firm upgrades its electrical distribution network.<\/p>\n

\"The\"TheThe existing Walpole Substation is being expanded PHOTO: ILIFFE MEDIA VICTORIA FEAR<\/p>\n

Weston Marsh<\/a> has also been earmarked for two 400kv substations along with two sets of pylons but it is also due to be fed energy produced by the Outer Dowsing<\/a> wind farm via another substation at Surfleet Marsh and the enormous Meridian<\/a> solar farm. A planning application was lodged with South Holland District Council for the first substation.<\/p>\n

A common cause of anger among the people of Walpole and Weston Marsh is the lack of transparency of a full plan detailing all of the projects which are being considered for their areas instead of the \u2018drip\u2019 of information about schemes.<\/p>\n

Weston Marsh farmer Jenny Pennington, who has been fighting against the substation plans for the last four years, said: \u201cI could weep for those villages for what they are doing to the people of the Walpoles.<\/p>\n

\"Jenny\"JennyJenny Pennington, who is campaigning against plans for the Weston Marsh Substations, in Walpole PHOTO: ILIFFE MEDIA CHRIS LOWNDES<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is now time for people to sit up and listen as this is what is coming to our area.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four different routes of pylons can be seen crossing over fields of wheat leading to the existing Walpole substation, which was built in the 1960s.<\/p>\n

As part of its \u2018Great Grid Upgrade\u2019, National Grid have plans to extend the substation to include a 60MVA transformer and other infrastructure in order to \u2018connect new sources of renewable energy, manage power flows on the network and support future demand\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"National\"NationalNational Grid plans for converter stations and a substation in Walpole PHOTO: NATIONAL GRID<\/p>\n

On top of that, National Grid also wants to build the new 400kv Walpole Substation B, to the west of Walpole St Andrew, as part of plans to install 140km of pylons from Grimsby<\/a>, along the Lincolnshire coastline (including parts of South Holland) to the West Norfolk village.<\/p>\n

Then it is also looking to install two converter stations as part of the Eastern Green Link 3 and 4 scheme<\/a>, which will carry energy produced by Scottish windfarms via high voltage cables, which will land in Anderby Creek, travel South Holland on the way to West Norfolk.<\/p>\n

We have been out to speak to the people whose lives are being turned upside down by these plans.<\/p>\n

\"Neighbours\"NeighboursNeighbours Jason Nicholls and Kay Gillam have endured years of uncertainty as they wait to see if National Grid will take their land PHOTO: ILIFFE MEDIA VICTORIA FEAR<\/p>\n

Kay Gillam and her family have been living at Sebastopol Farm in West Walton since the early 2000s but have endured years of misery after being told that National Grid is eying up a minimum of eight of their 12 acres to build a converter station.<\/p>\n

And she is still in the dark over which field will be taken.<\/p>\n

News that her land was going to be taken for an energy infrastructure project was broken a month after she sold her farmhouse with the aim of refurbishing a barn on her land to create her dream home.<\/p>\n

\"A\"AA field near Kay Gillam’s home has been sprayed off and could be used for a converter station PHOTO: ILIFFE MEDIA VICTORIA FEAR<\/p>\n

Kay, who has been a horsewoman all of her life, has now been compelled to give up three of her horses due to the uncertainty over her land along with living in a mobile home for the foreseeable future. And the converter station could be built just a stone\u2019s throw from her mobile home.<\/p>\n

She says the National Grid plan \u2018forced\u2019 her to make the change to have just two horses – including a 32-year-old falabella, along with giving up the plans for a dream home.<\/p>\n

Kay, who also kept cows until last year and says the uncertainty plays on her mind all the time, said: \u201cWe moved as we were going to convert a barn into a beautiful new home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have shelved that plan now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are devastated. My husband wanted to retire in August but now he can\u2019t. The idea was that he would retire and we would spend a couple of years doing it up before downsizing but now we can\u2019t do any of that. We are stuck here until 2032. We are totally stuck. Our lives are totally on hold.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has totally and utterly wiped me out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her neighbour Jason Nicholls moved to the old mill ten years ago and has been renovating this historic building.<\/p>\n

Jason could be losing a hay field – which produces 500 to 550 bales which are vital to his family\u2019s five horses – along with a paddock to the converter station.<\/p>\n

The family will then have to transport their horses to grazing land and are facing the prospect of spending \u00a31,200 a month on this.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cNo-one can provide me with an explanation why they are not putting this on land which is marked for industrial development near Sutton Bridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fundamental problem is that National Energy System Operator have stated that all the new power has to join to the land that runs from the Wapole Substation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the plans were unveiled, both have endured endless reams of paperwork along with a near constant stream of messaging from the contractors asking for access to their land for surveys.<\/p>\n

Not knowing when and what is going to happen is also a big problem for Jason.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cThey have a project plan that is timelined out so they know what is happening.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we don\u2019t know when it\u2019s happening until 24 hours in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kay is particularly grieved that an agreement she had made with the contractor for no surveys to be conducted on her field until after the hay crop had been harvested was ignored. She refused access to the site but fears that she could end up losing this vital crop.<\/p>\n

Hay prices are currently at a record high due to hot summers and that field can produce 120 large bales which feed her horses.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cThis is our lives. The thing is they didn\u2019t need to put it here. They could have put it where there are no people.\u201d<\/p>\n

To add to the uncertainty neither neighbour knows if they will be compensated for the loss of these fields.<\/p>\n

They are also concerned that a couple of nearby fields, which until recently contained a growing crop of wheat, have been sprayed off.<\/p>\n

Kay added: \u201cOne of the biggest things is that they say they have four options but only one option has been sprayed off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"James\"JamesJames Whitaker can see the pylons and the existing substation from his home PHOTO: ILIFFE MEDIA VICTORIA FEAR<\/p>\n

The original Walpole substation was already in place when James Whitaker and his family moved into their home in Foldgate Lane nearly 40 years ago.<\/p>\n

So they geared their home up to look at the field behind them – but now they are facing the prospect of being surrounded by energy projects including independent battery storage and solar farms.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cBecause of the proximity to the substation everyone wants to put in electrical infrastructure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have 12 battery storage sites planned around here to date.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the substation is expanding there are solar farms and battery storage sites which all want to be near it as it is cheaper.\u201d<\/p>\n

James, who is not against renewable energy, has concerns about the toxins from a battery storage site if it caught fire and the loss of vital growing land.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cThese should be put on top of car parks or brownfield sites or land that is not useful for agriculture but that is really expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

James is also frustrated that his requests for information on which fields will be used and what the final scheme will look like have gone unheard.<\/p>\n

He has also been paid \u00a3750 by National Grid for a licence to undertake surveys on his land but so far nothing has been undertaken.<\/p>\n

James said: \u201cIt not knowing what it will look like during construction and they are talking about ten years of construction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Another\"AnotherAnother HS2? Emma Lowe’s home overlooks this field – which could become a substation PHOTO: ILIFFE MEDIA VICTORIA FEAR<\/p>\n

Emma Lowe has been renovating her home is West Drove for the last ten years but has questioned if it is wise to continue to invest money in the property as she could soon be looking out at a new substation.<\/p>\n

And Emma fears what the impact of all this infrastructure could have on the value of her house if she decided to sell in the future.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cWe are still renovating it but am I better saving the money for potentially moving but I don\u2019t want to put projects on hold. You want to live your life and do things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emma is not looking forward to nearly 10 years of construction and fears that there is too much electrical infrastructure is being placed in the village, which she feels is the wrong location.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes the infrastructure is needed but surely it should be where the power is needed – not just here,\u2019 Emma said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s taking power down south then that\u2019s where it (the infrastructure) should be. It feels like HS2.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Campaigner\"CampaignerCampaigner Steve Connelly wants National Grid to release a comprehensive plan so villagers know what is in store PHOTO: ILIFFE MEDIA VICTORIA FEAR<\/p>\n

Steve Connelly is one of the villagers who have been campaigning against the plans.<\/p>\n

Among his concerns are the impact of the use of the narrow rural roads, particularly near the local school – but has frustrations that villagers are kept in the dark over the master plan for the area.<\/p>\n

He said:\u201d The devastation it is going to cause the local area and the livelihoods of local farms and people.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel this has been imposed on us and the people of South Lincolnshire.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main thing for the area is that there is no comprehensive plan of what is happening. It is also being done in silos. We have been through the first consultation for the substation and when that closed days later it was the Eastern Green Link 3 and 4.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are not being transparent.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also feels that there are plans to industrialise the eastern corridor of Lincolnshire and Norfolk for infrastructure supporting London and that these schemes will not create jobs for local people, particularly the youngsters.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for National Grid said: \u201cWe share detailed plans with local people affected by all our projects through newsletters, public or online events and social media advertising. National Grid is delivering electricity projects in Lincolnshire and East Anglia to help meet electricity demand which is expected to double bringing home-grown, cleaner and more affordable energy. We coordinate, where possible, across our own projects and with other developers, creating local jobs and supporting supply chains.”<\/p>\n

A National Grid spokesman also added: \u201cWe recognise that potential construction activity and access arrangements may be disruptive to day-to-day operations. We are continuing detailed discussions with affected landowners to understand concerns and identify practical steps to reduce impacts where possible. Landowners directly affected have been contacted by our land agents, and we have held face-to-face meetings where requested. We would encourage anyone with concerns to get in touch via the contact details on the project website.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You don\u2019t need to travel far to see what the future of Weston Marsh could be if two…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":55414,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[21249],"tags":[633,528,27223,2945,12643,2580,14,22988],"class_list":["post-55413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national-grid","tag-business","tag-environment","tag-holbeach","tag-in-depth","tag-lincs-homepage","tag-national-grid","tag-politics","tag-spalding"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116687099889609243","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}