Wildlife conservation charity Kent Wildlife Trust is calling on the public to take urgent action and register as Interested Parties in the examination of National Grid’s controversial Sea Link project before the fast-approaching deadline of Monday 23rd June.
Kent Wildlife Trust urges the public to register as Interested Parties by 23rd June to oppose the damaging Sea Link project.
The campaign is backed by MPs and conservationists who stress the importance of making voices heard.
The Trust supports clean energy but demands a route that protects wildlife and vital natural habitats.
Wildlife conservation charity Kent Wildlife Trust is calling on the public to take urgent action and register as Interested Parties in the examination of National Grid’s controversial Sea Link project before the fast-approaching deadline of Monday 23rd June.
The call comes as part of Kent Wildlife Trust’s Rethink Sea Link campaign, which challenges the current proposals for a subsea and onshore high-voltage cable route that could cause lasting damage to some of Kent’s most sensitive and protected habitats, including Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve and critical habitat at Minster Marshes.
The wildlife charity has been joined in its campaign by local MPs Sir Roger Gale and Polly Billington, both of whom have formally registered as Interested Parties to ensure the concerns of their constituents are heard.
Sir Roger Gale, MP for Herne Bay and Sandwich, says: "I am highly supportive of Kent Wildlife Trust's endeavours to encourage supporters to register as formal objectors to the scheme. I have of course registered myself and would hope that Kent Wildlife Trust supporters will do likewise."
Polly Billington, MP for East Thanet, added: “I've registered as an Interested Party so I can represent the views of my constituents, and I'm encouraging others to do the same and make your voices heard.”
Prominent wildlife TV presenter Richard Taylor-Jones has also backed the campaign, stating: "I fully support renewable energy for tomorrow, but it must not come at a cost of wildlife today. Please make sure you register as an Interested Party to make your voice heard."
Kent Wildlife Trust is concerned that the current Sea Link proposals would cause irreversible harm to internationally protected wildlife sites, with potential impacts on rare birds, marine mammals, and saltmarsh habitats that act as vital carbon sinks. Whilst the Trust supports renewable energy and the drive to decarbonise, it is calling for a rethink of the project route to avoid environmental damage.
Emma Waller, Planning & Policy Officer and Rethink Sea Link campaigner at Kent Wildlife Trust, says: “Now is a critical time to act. Registering as an Interested Party is the first and most important step in ensuring your concerns are heard during the examination of this Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.
We fully support the transition to clean energy, but progress must work in harmony with nature. The habitats at Sandwich and Pegwell Bay and Minster Marshes are too valuable to lose. They are home to an incredible range of wildlife and serve as vital natural carbon stores. Damaging or destroying these areas in the name of achieving net zero undermines the very goals we are trying to reach. We cannot afford to sacrifice nature in the pursuit of climate action; both must go hand in hand.”
Kent Wildlife Trust has provided a guidance document to help individuals submit a Relevant Representation to the Planning Inspectorate. It only takes a few minutes to register and can be as simple as a short paragraph expressing concern.
Find out more about the Rethink Sea Link campaign and access resources here