A new road could be built off the A47 to allow easier access to a growing substation. 

Norfolk Vanguard Ltd, which is part of the Swedish state-owned company Vattenfall, has submitted plans to Breckland Council to have the new road constructed at Necton, near Swaffham. 

Vattenfall has been spearheading two offshore wind projects, called Boreas and Vanguard, which will respectively be 45 miles and 29 miles off the Norfolk coast.

Both will be connected to the shore with an underground cable, which will make landfall at Happisburgh, before continuing some 40 miles underground to Necton.

The Boreas and Vanguard wind farms were respectively awarded permission in principle in December 2021 and February 2022, in the form of ‘development consent orders’ from the then-business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

Eastern Daily Press: Former energy secretary Kwasi Kwarteng issued development consent orders for the two wind farms in December 2021 and February 2022Former energy secretary Kwasi Kwarteng issued development consent orders for the two wind farms in December 2021 and February 2022 (Image: Victoria Jones/PA)

Vattenfall says the two wind farms will together be capable of powering more than four million homes.

The projects have been controversial, with concerns over the impact on the countryside caused by the trenches which will need to be dug for cables.

The two wind farms will require the expansion of the existing substation at Necton, with three new converter stations required on the site. 

There have been concerns from Necton residents, who are worried about the stations’ height spoiling their country views - and about the noise they will generate.

Eastern Daily Press: Residents in Necton have been concerned about the visual and noise impacts of the substation Residents in Necton have been concerned about the visual and noise impacts of the substation (Image: Jenny Smedley)

The company is now proposing that a 0.7 mile permanent access road be built off the A47, which they say will be needed to build, operate and maintain the new converter stations.

Eastern Daily Press: The new access road would link the substation, visible in the background, with the A47The new access road would link the substation, visible in the background, with the A47 (Image: Google)

If permission is granted, construction would be scheduled to commence in June 2023 and would take roughly five months.

The Vanguard and Boreas wind farms will together consist of between 180 and 312 turbines, each up to 350 metres tall.

Vattenfall hopes to start the construction of both wind farms in 2023.

Breckland Council is due to issue a decision on whether to approve the road by February 23, 2023.

The plans can be viewed by searching for reference 3PL/2022/1293/F at https://www.breckland.gov.uk/planning/search