MP for Thanet North, Sir Roger Gale has slammed National Grid’s Sea Link proposal saying it is “Unthinkable to anybody with half an eye on the environment and half a care about nature.”

Sir Roger was speaking to presenter Rob Smith as part of Kent Wildlife Trust’s “Talk on the Wild Side” podcast, which was released on Friday, 29^th March. It was recorded when members of the trust’s group, calling on National Grid to “Rethink Sea Link” took their campaign to parliament earlier this month.

Since its launch in December RSPB, Bird Wise East Kent, CPRE Kent and Save Minster Marshes have joined the Rethink Sea Link campaign over fears that the installation of an electricity cable between Kent and Suffolk will significantly impact wildlife at the internationally important Pegwell Bay Nature Reserve and surrounding wildlife sites such as Minster Marshes. The groups all say they support renewable energy, but not at the cost to wildlife. MP Sir Roger Gale has now added his support to the campaign.

Speaking from Westminster to presenter Rob Smith, the MP said: “I think the prospect of dozens of acres of land being taken to build a converter station that is the size of at least two football pitches and 90ft high is quite appalling. 

“On that landscape, it will stick out like a sore thumb. It will be absolutely hideous. The cables that flow from that up towards Canterbury will provide an additional wildlife hazard for birds, additional to the line of cables that's already there and has already done damage. And it just is unthinkable to anybody with half an eye on the environment and half a care about nature. 

“But it seems to me that they're blundering ahead because they know best. Well, I'm sorry, they don't know best. And our children and our grandchildren are going to pay the most terrible price for very short termism.” 

When questioned about plans for National Grid to mitigate the impacts on wildlife Sir Roger did not hold back his disdain for the multi-million-pound company, who have failed to mitigate previous developments at Pegwell Bay, who caused damage to the salt marsh in 2018 when installing the Nemolink cable. He said: “I have absolutely no confidence in or trust in National Grid whatsoever. Seems to me that the claims that they have made are, at best, disingenuous. 

“They say they've looked at alternatives. Well, they may have looked at them, but they haven't looked at them or studied them thoroughly, in my view. In this case, Kingsnorth is an obvious option. The Dutch offshore their infrastructure for projects such as this and do it very successfully. If the Dutch can do it, we can do it.” 

The MP, who is the only parliamentary holder of the RSPCA's Richard Martin award, went on to say he had attempted to raise the matter with Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Claire Coutinho, who has refused to take his call and that the matter should be taken to judicial review if approved. Mr. Gale continued: “We can stick a spoke in the front wheel of the national grid. I think we have to be prepared to take this, if necessary, to judicial review.  I think that National Grid has to understand that they will be held to account, every step of the way, and that we will fight this to the last ditch. 

“In this case, almost literally, because if we don't, we're failing our future generations. We're custodians. We don't own this land. We're caretakers. We have to preserve it for the future. And I don't think that doing that and providing power to keep the lights on is incompatible. 

“I'm sure it can be done, and we have to find the right way of doing it. Not the cheapest, nastiest way of doing it.” 

Podcast presenter Rob Smith said: ““I’ve interviewed scores of politicians down the years, on all sorts of issues, and I can’t recall an MP being quite so damning of an organisation’s plans before, and it shows just how far away from winning people over National Grid are. I’ve been to Minster Marshes and Pegwell Bay to see the areas that would be affected by the Sealink project for myself, and the birdlife especially down there is incredible. The thought that it could be harmed by installing the new cables there is heartbreaking – especially as there do seem to be viable alternatives that would have far less impact on wildlife.” 

Kent Wildlife Trust’s Natasha Aidinyantz, who co-produces Talk on the Wild Side” said: “We have produced a series of interviews for Talk on the Wild Side highlighting concerns around the Sea Link project from a cross-section of the community and now the local MP as well. 

“We have invited National Grid to come on the show and present their view, which they initially agreed to, but several months on, they have ghosted us. It’s a shame as we do try to cover all viewpoints with controversial topics like this. Our offer remains open to come and have a chat to Rob about their proposals.”  

Kent Wildlife Trusts Planning and Policy Officer, Emma Waller said: “We are hugely disappointed to see that nature is yet again not valued and are asking the National Grid to review the strategic alternative routes and their impacts on the environment to choose the least damaging route. In short, we want the National Grid to “Rethink Sea Link.”  

“We have already experienced the impacts of trenching at Pegwell Bay, when in 2018, the National Grid, in partnership with Belgian Elia Group, installed the Nemo Link electricity cable. Like Sea Link, trenchless techniques were the preferred method of installation, however, commitments were reneged, and open-cut trenching techniques were used, resulting in irreparable damage to the salt marsh and marine habitats. We are concerned that the mistakes of the past will be repeated.” 

David Mairs, of CPRE Kent, the countryside charity, said: “National Grid’s lack of respect for Kent’s natural environment and wildlife is deeply depressing.   

“As for strengthening the county’s energy resilience, it’s very hard to take that seriously. This project is about National Grid making money – end of story. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that Richborough site has been selected simply because it is so close to Europe and facilitates it selling energy at substantial profit to our near-neighbours across the Channel.  

“It’s a commercial world – we understand that – but surely we should be entitled to greater respect for our rural landscape and environment.”  

Vicky Ellis of CPRE Kent added: “CPRE Kent, the countryside charity supports green energy done right. We are disappointed that National Grid insist on continuing along this incredibly damaging trajectory when there are viable alternative sites available that are far less damaging. Minster Marshes boasts some of the most amazing bird assemblages in the country of international importance. This is something to be celebrated and cherished not trashed in the name of green energy.”

For those interested in the full interview, head on over to Kent Wildlife Trust’s website and download “Talk on the Wild Side” today.