National Grid's Sea Link project

The RSPB supports renewable energy and the infrastructure needed to ensure connectivity for renewable power to the national grid. However, we are in both a nature and climate crisis and helping solve climate issues must not, and need not, come at the cost of the natural world. The Sea Link project that could see National Grid route new energy cables through important wildlife sites in Suffolk, including underneath RSPB North Warren, and in Kent, has entered the formal stage of the decision-making process (Examination). Here we explain the RSPB’s position.

Sea Link is a proposed electrical cable which would carry energy that has been generated from various sources including offshore windfarms via a connection between Suffolk and the Kent coast.

The proposed location for the undersea cables to emerge on to land  for the Sea Link project in Suffolk is within the RSPB’s North Warren nature reserve and Leiston-Aldeburgh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The nature reserve has been an established and undisturbed haven for wildlife since 1939 and is a SSSI due to its conservation importance. The grazing marshes and reedbeds at RSPB North Warren host thousands of ducks, swans and geese in winter including nationally important numbers of wintering White-fronted Geese whilst spring brings breeding Bittern and Marsh Harrier. A cable route here could cause disturbance to birds and other wildlife, and damage to precious habitats during construction. The proposed cable route also runs close to the wildlife-rich grassland and scrub of the Sandlings Special Protection Area (SPA), raising concerns about potential disturbance and loss of habitat for breeding Woodlark, Nightjar and Turtle Dove.

Update: November 2025

In November, the RSPB submitted its Written Representations to the Examination. These Representations are a detailed commentary on all our concerns about the Sea Link project and how we think they should be addressed. 

The RSPB has repeatedly questioned why routes within nationally and internationally important wildlife sites have been proposed as locations for this development. We believe that National Grid has not convincingly shown that no alternative routes are available and have therefore raised our objection to the proposals at these sites in our Representations. 

However, given that the project may be consented despite our concerns, we have also submitted comments seeking to ensure that impacts of the works processes within important wildlife sites in both Suffolk and Kent are reduced as far as possible, should the project be consented. You can find both our full Written Representations and a Summary version in the downloads section below.

National Grid have also approached RSPB to seek consent to carry out the works within the RSPB’s land at North Warren, if the project is approved. As the proposed works form part of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, National Grid would ultimately have powers to compulsorily acquire rights over our land should we be unwilling to enter these discussions. Although we are objecting to this project in principle, given that the project may be consented despite our concerns, we feel it would pose a greater risk of damage to North Warren if the works are planned without any input from the RSPB’s site team. 

In order to influence the proposals for operations within North Warren and reduce impacts on wildlife as far as possible, we are having discussions with National Grid.  These discussions are seeking to ensure that impacts of the works processes within North Warren are reduced as far as possible, should the project be consented.  We will also submit further comments on these topics during the Examination.

• Developer’s website
• Planning Inspectorate’s Sea Link pages (for all Examination documents, timeline and updates)

• RSPB Relevant Representations
• RSPB Written Representations
• Summary of RSPB Written Representations