Cotswolds project | National Grid

The Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project in the Cotswolds National Landscape aims to reduce the visual impact of National Grid’s overhead line running over the Cotswold Plateau and along Cotswold Way.

More information about the submission of the Cotswolds VIP Compulsory Purchase Order

The Cotswolds National Landscape is the largest of the 38 National Landscapes (formerly AONBs) in England and Wales.

The section of National Grid transmission line we plan to remove is around 7km long and runs parallel to the Cotswold Way National Trail for much of its length, with many regional trails also crossing the area.

This project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the skyline and to conserve and enhance this precious Cotswold landscape.

About National Grid

National Grid sits at the centre of the transition to a clean, fair and affordable energy future, where tackling climate change and reaching net zero is a key priority.

We play a vital role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use safely, reliably and efficiently – in the UK and the US. But we also drive change through engineering innovation and by incubating new ideas with the power to revolutionise our industry.

As one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world, National Grid is pioneering ways to decarbonise the energy system; from building interconnectors to allow the UK to share clean energy with our neighbours in Europe, to investing in renewable energy generation in the United States.

National Grid in the UK

National Grid owns and manages the electricity transmission network in England and Wales to which different energy sources are connected.

We are responsible for transmitting electricity from where it is generated (for example, power stations and large wind farms) to towns and cities, the main centres of demand. To do this, we use a national network of overhead lines and underground cables which operate at high voltages.

We are also responsible for balancing the system and making sure that the supply of electricity meets the demand on a second-by-second basis.

Visual Impact Provision in England and Wales

The Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project represents a major opportunity to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife, and environmental heritage within our most protected landscapes.

The VIP project makes use of a provision by Ofgem to carry out work that reduces the impact of existing transmission lines in English and Welsh National Landscapes (formerly AONBs) and National Parks.

At National Grid we are passionate about playing our part in conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the landscape.

The most important task for us is to use this provision to achieve the maximum enhancement to our nation’s precious landscapes while avoiding unacceptable environmental impacts.

To ensure that we get this right and maximise the potential of the Visual Impact Provision project, National Grid is working closely and collaboratively with stakeholders.