Council objects to LionLink slamming lack of coordination and fears for communities
An application for a Development Consent Order is expected to be submitted by National Grid Ventures later in 2026.
At its meeting on 24 February 2026, the county council’s cabinet approved a 23,000-word response to National Grid’s statutory consultation on LionLink, which closes on 10 March 2026.
Their selection of Walberswick as a landing site for the project demonstrates staggeringly bad judgement. It is a wholly inappropriate location and the construction impacts on this very special part of our Suffolk coast will be stark.
Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Devolution, Local Government Reorganisation and NSIPs
Amongst its objections to the current plans are:
disappointment that onshore cable routeing could not be shared with Sea Link
the choice of Walberswick as a landing site and the long cable route to Saxmundham
construction on a continuous basis including night-time working
construction traffic use of the unsuitable Benhall Bridge
private haul route which would cross the Fromus river and impact the setting of Hurts Hall
multiple negative, highly sensitive consequences in terms of built heritage, archaeology, ecology, tourism, highways access, public rights of way, water courses and vegetation loss
Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Devolution, Local Government Reorganisation and NSIPs, said:
“I find National Grid’s inability, or stubbornness, to fully coordinate with their own sister Sea Link scheme, frankly infuriating. We have been calling for this for years.
“Their selection of Walberswick as a landing site for the project demonstrates staggeringly bad judgement. It is a wholly inappropriate location and the construction impacts on this very special part of our Suffolk coast will be stark.
“The project, in addition to a long and complex cable corridor, would also put further strain on Saxmundham and Friston and exacerbate many of the transport concerns we have regarding the Sea Link scheme.
“The Secretary of State may still be minded to rush through an approval for LionLink, but through our consultation response, we are highlighting a host of issues. Hopefully National Grid will act on these to reduce the impacts on local residents, businesses and the environment.”
National Grid’s public consultation is open until 10 March, and the county council is encouraging anyone affected by the scheme to submit their views.
Councillor Richard Rout continues:
“We encourage all local communities to take part in the LionLink consultation. This is the last meaningful chance to help steer the project’s design, routing and purpose ahead of the application being lodged.
“We fully understand that people are feeling consultation fatigue, after being asked to respond again and again to different projects - something that better coordination between Suffolk’s major schemes might have helped to prevent.”
An application for a Development Consent Order is expected to be submitted by National Grid Ventures later in 2026.