Work is planned in North Yorkshire to support a major national electricity infrastructure project that will allow renewable energy to be transferred between Scotland and England.

A planning application has been submitted to North Yorkshire Council for a temporary construction compound near Drax Power Station as part of the multi-billion pound Scotland-England Green Link 2 (EGL2) project.

The scheme will create a two-gigawatt high-voltage electricity connection between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax, using subsea cables and underground connections to the electricity network.

It is designed to strengthen Britain’s electricity transmission system and allow renewable energy generated in Scotland to be transported to England, with electricity also able to flow in the opposite direction when required.

The location of the proposed compound in Wren Hall Lane at Drax.

placeholder image — The location of the proposed compound in Wren Hall Lane at Drax.

The application, submitted by construction company BAM, seeks permission to use around 2.06 hectares of agricultural land east of Wren Hall Lane, approximately 400 metres from Drax Power Station.

The site would be used to store construction materials, machinery and equipment needed for the project.

Plans include areas for storing topsoil and subsoil, a security kiosk, temporary lighting, CCTV towers and fencing.

A temporary haul road crossing would also be created across Wren Hall Lane to connect the site with the existing EGL2 construction compound.

According to planning documents prepared by consultants Mott MacDonald, the additional space is needed to help construction work progress efficiently and safely.

The statement says: “The proposed development is supported in principle due to its essential role in facilitating the delivery of the EGL2 Project, which constitutes a nationally significant infrastructure scheme.”

It adds that the site would provide space for storing materials and equipment, helping to reduce unnecessary vehicle movements and disruption to surrounding land.

Construction of the temporary compound is scheduled to take place between December 2026 and March 2027.

It would then operate from April 2027 until September 2028, before being dismantled and the agricultural land restored between October and December 2028.

Proposed working hours are 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm on Saturdays, with Sunday working only in exceptional circumstances.

The applicant says the development would not generate additional traffic beyond that already associated with the approved EGL2 construction works.

However, the land is within Flood Zone 3, and the application includes measures intended to manage flood risk.

Ecological assessments have also identified potential impacts on wildlife, including bats, badgers and breeding birds, with further surveys and mitigation measures proposed.

The planning statement says the temporary nature of the development means the land can be returned to agricultural use once construction is complete.

The wider EGL2 development, including a converter station at Drax and underground electricity cables, was granted planning permission in August 2023, with construction already underway.