Inviting communities to help shape the £4million community benefit fund

•    £4.2m in funding to be available for communities through a community benefit fund for the Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement. 
•    National Grid is asking local communities to share their feedback on how funds could be delivered to achieve long-lasting benefits. 

As construction activity ramps up on National Grid’s Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement project, new details are being shared about how communities will benefit. In line with the Government guidance on community funds for new transmission infrastructure projects, over £4.2 million in funding will be available to support communities in Suffolk and Essex.

This funding is part of a new community benefit programme, designed to deliver lasting benefits that reflect what matters to the community. Feedback received will help shape the priorities of the funding, which could include investment in skills, green spaces enhancement, supporting physical and mental health and improving community facilities. 

National Grid is now inviting residents, community groups and organisations to share ideas on how the funding should be used to deliver lasting benefits. The survey will close on 28 November, after which the project team will review the feedback received. The community benefit fund is expected to launch in Winter 2025/2026, when we will start accepting applications. 

James Dear, Project Director, said: 

Since 2022, our project team has volunteered more than 700 hours and supported 29 local schools and charities. With significantly more funding now available, we’re looking forward to working with communities to deliver meaningful, lasting benefits.  

This is the first National Grid project to apply the Government’s new community benefits guidance, and we are excited to hear directly from local communities about how this funding can make a real, long-term difference.

Emma Bennett, Head of Socioeconomic and Community Benefits, said: 

This marks a new chapter in how major energy infrastructure projects can benefit the areas that host it. We’re working closely with communities and stakeholders to ensure this funding supports both immediate local needs and long-term regional ambitions. 

By understanding what matters most to each community, we can develop programmes that deliver genuine legacy benefits and deliver meaningful impacts to our communities.

Development consent for the project was granted by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in September 2024. The Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement forms part of The Great Grid Upgrade and is vital to support the transition to cleaner, more secure energy. 

Communities are encouraged to share their views on how community benefit funding should be used by completing the survey, which will close on 28th November, on the project website, http://nationalgrid.com/BTNOcommunity.