National Grid needs to expand its network of high-pressure natural gas pipelines in Gloucestershire to help meet growing demand for reliable and economic gas supplies in the west of England.

The proposed Wormington-Sapperton pipeline will be 900mm (36 inches) in diameter and will run for 44km (28 miles), connecting our compressor station at Wormington to our above-ground installation at Sapperton.

National Grid withdrew an earlier application for consent to build the Wormington-Sapperton pipeline in December 2007 after our gas demand forecasts showed it was no longer required in 2008 as previously indicated.

However, we kept the situation under review and, as gas demand forecasts now indicate the pipeline will be needed by 2010, we submitted a new consent application in January 2009.

Gas transmission pipelines must undergo a rigorous process of consultation and environmental appraisal before consent to construct can be granted by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

An Environmental Statement was included with our application for consent to build the Wormington-Sapperton pipeline, which was submitted to the Secretary of State on 27 January 2009.

The proposed pipeline will be designed and built to the same high standards of safety and security as the other 7,300km of high-pressure gas transmission pipelines already in operation across the UK.

The new pipeline will be buried underground throughout its length, allowing us to reinstate the land to its original condition when work is complete.

A map of the proposed pipeline route is included with the non-technical summary of the Environmental Statement on this website.