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Overview

In Spring 2020 we embarked upon a £1 billion project to rewire South London via deep underground tunnels. In total, 32.5km of 3m diameter tunnels are being constructed deep below the road network between Wimbledon and Crayford, which will carry high voltage electricity cables.

In 2023, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) broke through at our Kings Avenue site, having travelled 6.4 km from New Cross substation. 

With this milestone achieved, we are now building a permanent shaft and headhouse on site. The headhouse is required for ventilation and as a permanent point of access for the tunnel once it is built.  

We are building the tunnels and shafts under our permitted development rights, which means we do not need planning permission for the entire project. We have secured planning permission for the headhouse from the London Borough of Lambeth. 

The LPT project, designed to bolster London's electricity network in response to increasing demand and support a net-zero future, is set to be fully operational by 2026.

Key facts

• Dimensions: The shaft will be approximately 15m in diameter and 35m in depth. The headhouse will have a maximum footprint of 9.5m long by 6m wide, reaching a maximum height of 4.6m.
• Access: Our construction vehicles leave the site from Acre Lane or Kings Avenue, before joining the A23 and/or A205.
• Traffic:  There is currently no increase in traffic to the site expected.
• Working hours: Our current working hours are:
  • Monday – Friday: 8am to 6pm
  • Saturday – Sunday: 8am to 6pm
  • Our working hours on the weekend are permitted under our S61 agreement with Lambeth Council and only minor works are expected to take place on those days.

Timeline

• Spring 2020 – Works began on site
• May 2021 – July 2022 – The tunnel was built
• August 2022 – October 2022 – The initial tunnel clean to Wimbledon took place
• April 2023 – TBM breakthrough from New Cross site
• Autumn 2023 – Tunnel boring completed along entire route of project
• January 2024 – Headhouse construction began
• 2026 – Project expected to be fully operational

Address

Our site on Kings Avenue is located at the junction of Kings Avenue and Acre Lane. 

Community involvement

National Grid is committed to working with and supporting the local communities around its project sites. To support communities around the LPT project, National Grid and our partners are delivering:

• Outreach programme: An engaging and impactful outreach programme for secondary school students in the local area, promoting engineering careers for our net zero future.
• Community Grant Programme: Provision of financial support for local projects via our Community Grant Programme.
• Volunteer days: Hands-on support provided by the project team via volunteer days conducted in the community.

In November 2023, we published a Social Impact Report for the LPT school outreach programme, which illustrates the social benefits the programme has delivered for young people across South London. Working alongside early-talent specialists, Connectr, we have supported over 100,000 young people during the initial three and half years of the programme – achieving our ambition of engaging over 100,000 students before 2025.

You can read the full Social Impact Report by clicking here.