National Grid creates artificial badger sett to protect local wildlife on the North London Reinforcement Project

Ahead of major works, National Grid carries out environmental surveys to identify the presence of any protected habitats and species, working closely with Natural England and the Local Authorities to reduce the impact of their activities. 

Pre-construction ecological surveys are under way in advance of construction of the North London Reinforcement Project. Badgers and their setts are protected by law and project teams have installed camera monitoring equipment under the careful supervision of licensed ecologists to confirm whether existing setts are actively being used by badgers.

Amy Shakespeare, Lead Project Manager said: 

When ecological surveys identified an active main badger sett within our working area, the project team knew they needed to find a solution that would safeguard these protected animals whilst allowing vital construction works to proceed. The answer was to create a purpose-built artificial sett that would provide a safe alternative home for the local badger population.

By creating habitats and supporting local ecology across the project we're ensuring that local wildlife can flourish and natural resources for communities are improved, whilst building the networks needed to power Britain's resilient energy future.

An artificial badger sett is a purpose-built structure designed to replicate the natural habitat of badgers. The structure mimics the chambers, tunnels, and features that badgers need to thrive. The artificial sett was designed with careful supervision of a licensed ecologist, and was constructed in October 2025 by principal contractors Murphy Group. This allows for the existing sett to be closed under licence from Natural England and for the badgers to move into the artificial sett well in advance of construction works.

The North London Reinforcement project will enable the system to operate at increased voltage and future-proofing of the infrastructure to accommodate growing energy needs. These upgrades form part of The Great Grid Upgrade, which will provide homes and businesses with secure, affordable and cleaner energy. 

For more information about the North London Reinforcement Project and our environmental initiatives, please visit our website or contact our community relations team at [email protected] or 0800 279 3408.