CPO Documents
Compulsory Purchase Order
On 24 March 2022 National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc (“National Grid”) made The National Grid Electricity Transmission (Little Horsted Substation Connection) Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) 2022 to enable it to compulsorily acquire the land and rights necessary to construct and operate a new substation at Little Horsted and to connect it to the National Electricity Transmission System (“the Project”).
The CPO followed a series of negotiations where we tried to secure voluntary agreements to ensure this vital Project can be delivered to meet electricity demand.
A number of objections were made to the CPO and an inquiry was held at the end of 2022.
On 4 May 2023 the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero confirmed the CPO without modifications. Notice of the Secretary of State’s decision can be found here.
A copy of the notice confirming the confirmation of the CPO has been served on all those with an interest in the land who were included in the CPO. It has also been published in local newspapers and erected at intervals across the land included in the CPO.
A copy of the confirmed CPO and the maps that show the land included in the CPO are available.
Further detail on the compulsory purchase process can be found in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Guidance on Compulsory Purchase Process and The Crichel Down Rules (July 2019), which is available to view and download for free online at GOV.UK.
- Booklet No. 1 – Compulsory Purchase Procedure
- Booklet No. 2 – Compensation to Business Owners and Occupiers
- Booklet No. 3 – Compensation to Agricultural Owners and Occupiers
- Booklet No. 4 – Compensation for Residential Owners and Occupiers
If you’d like more information about the CPO, please contact National Grid’s appointed land agent, Fisher German, on 01227 477870 or in writing to: Fisher German, Court Lodge Farm Offices, Godmersham Park, Canterbury, Kent CT4 7DT.
General Vesting Declarations
On 10 April 2025, National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc (“National Grid”) made a series of General Vesting Declarations (“GVDs”) under the CPO, to begin the process of acquiring new rights over land.
A GVD is a legal document which is used to acquire interests in land as a result of the powers contained within a CPO whereby after a period of 3 months, ownership of the new rights will automatically transfer to National Grid. The GVDs are necessary to allow National Grid to continue with the substation construction and connection works.
National Grid has served notice packs on all those with an interest in the land affected by the GVD and site notices have been erected where necessary.
If you’d like more information about the General Vesting Declarations, then please contact National Grid’s appointed land agent, Fisher German on [email protected] or in writing to Fisher German LLP, Firn House, 61 Church Street, Hungerford, RG17 0JH.