Bridgwater to Avonmouth – the “Hinkley Connection”
Update from National Grid – 11th August 2021
Here is a link to the latest newsletter covering the project
Link to National Grid Summer Newsletter (opens in a new window)
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Update from National Grid – 2nd August 2021
Here is an update on our next steps on the Hinkley Connection Project as we prepare to remove nine kilometres of overhead lines and pylons, owned by Western Power Distribution (WPD).
We’ve already removed three pylons on land owned by Nailsea Rugby Club, and we will be removing the remaining pylons along the route from Nailsea to Portishead between August and October 2021. We’ve written to those who have pylons on their land, or where the wires go over their properties.
Where the pylons are near roads and rivers, we’ll need to erect scaffolding before removing the overhead wires and dismantling the pylons. Our contractor, Balfour Beatty, will use controlled lifting systems to safely lower and recover the overhead wires. To keep everyone safe during this work, we’ll need to use temporary traffic lights or stop and go boards and close some roads for short periods. This will include an overnight closure on the M5 between junctions 19 and 21, currently planned for September.
We’re working closely with the local council and Highways England on this, and we’ll be promoting further information (including timings and diversion route maps) about the M5 closure in advance. We’ll stay in touch, and our website Link to Hinkley Connection Roadworks Update (link to external site – opens in a new window)agement/ is kept updated with timings for roadworks in each area.
Progressing building new T-pylons from Sandford to Avonmouth
We’ve started construction work to build the new overhead connection from Sandford to Avonmouth, which will feature new T-pylons. One of our first tasks, to build the new temporary road accesses into our construction areas, is progressing well, with over half complete.
We’re continuing to build the remaining road accesses and, in the areas where these are complete, we’re building the connecting construction haul road and preparing the work areas where we will be constructing each of the new pylons. Our next steps will include building the foundations for the pylons, which involves putting concrete and steel piles into the ground.
We expect to start piling from mid-August and we’ll continue into 2022. We expect the piling at each site to take approximately one week and we will publish a monthly schedule Link to Hinkley Connection Piling Dates (External site – opens in a new window to show where we are carrying out this work.
To reduce disruption to nearby residents, we will not carry out any piling over the weekends and we limit piling to between the hours of 8am and 5pm. The hydraulic impact hammer we’ll be using is the most silenced on the market and the piling rig has been designed to minimise the amount of noise and vibrations generated during the works. The hammer on the piling rig is fully enclosed to reduce the noise emitted from the operations to the lowest level.
We’re working closely with Balfour Beatty to identify properties closest to the works where noise levels might cause concern and we aim to contact those residents directly.
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Update – 24th June 2021 – (Further update 2nd August 2021 -THIS PART OF THE WORK IS NOW COMPLETE)
Work will start on the Lampley Road on the 30th June 2021 to construct safe entrance ways into what will become the “linear” building site for the construction of the bases and the T pylons.
This work could last 8 weeks and temporary traffic lights will be in operation. An example of what will be created is already in place on the Kenn Road towards Clevedon.
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Information as at 4th February 2021
You will be aware that the National Grid is building a connection to carry power from the new Hinkley Point power station on the Somerset coast, via Bridgwater and then to Avonmouth for distribution to up to 6 million homes and businesses. Newsletters have been posted on this website and the planting scheme that was run by National Grid has been adopted by several of our landowners.
The project has been underway for a couple of years already and as you travel around North Somerset (when permitted), there is more and more evidence of significant engineering activity.
This connection work will directly affect Kingston Seymour when the power lines above Lampley Road (at the Kingston Bridge end) are altered. The low ones will be altered by Western Power Distribution (planned for 2023) and the higher ones will be replaced by the National Grid project. In due course, there will be construction traffic roads laid by main contractor Balfour Beatty and there will be a controlled crossing point on Lampley Road.
A regular e-newsletter is now produced by National Grid and this can be found here
Link to Latest Newsletter (opens in a new window).
KS residents will receive a letter from National Grid (Copy letter text. PDF opens in a new window) the next steps and the link below takes you to the section of their website that deals with the next phase
Link to Current Phase Construction work (Opens in a new window)
There’s a section in the newsletter entitled “In your area” and for this purpose, our immediate area is called “Puxton to Kenn”. A map taken from this section and showing our immediate area is here
Link to KS Area map (PDF opens in a new window)
At the foot of the e-newsletter there is an invitation to receive the e-newsletter directly to your inbox if you wish to and for more and other information, the Hinkley Connection website is here Link to Hinkley Connection Website (opens in a new window)
Steve Dixon, Parish Clerk, 4th February 2021
Update – 6th June 2021
If you are interested in the construction of the actual power station, a series has started on the BBC – and is becoming available on BBC iPlayer – called “Building Britain’s Biggest Nuclear Power Station”