Hinkley Point Connection Project

Client: National Grid

Project overview: 

Ground Control is working in partnership with National Grid to carry out the landscaping for the Hinkley Point Connection Project. This is a complex, large-scale design and build project, spanning a geographic area of over 340 square kilometers.

Ground Control is working with seven principal contractors, and over 500 individual landowners and six local authorities.  Underpinning all of the works done is the necessity to work effectively with National Grid’s Lands and Consents Teams to ensure delivery against the Development Consent Order (DCO) and ensuring tree, hedgerow and woodland planting quotas are met, as well as ensuring the appropriate planning sign off is achieved for other principle contractors to commence on site.

Scope of works: 

•  Replacement planting – National Grid has committed to plant four trees for every one tree felled and replacing on a 1:1 ratio any hedging or woodland removed.
•  Embedded mitigation – This is landscaping to screen large apparatus and to mitigate against noise and disruption to landowners caused by the works.
• Offsite planting and enhancement scheme – This is a voluntary scheme where landowners within three kilometers of the overhead lines can apply to be considered for planting on their land.

Added / social value:

There has been a joint partnership with National Grid and Ground Control to align both organisations' high Health and Safety standards, as well as Environmental and Quality Standards. 

Ground Control has also committed with National Grid to carry out Community Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to make improvements to the local community. 

Challenges / overview:

The challenges Ground Control has encountered on this project have included working on areas prone to flooding, planting in rocky ground and most importantly working safely with Covid-19.