Supporting the Great Grid Upgrade

Cavendish developed and delivered a comprehensive community and engagement strategy, to guide projects through their respective consenting regimes.  

For all projects this involved developing a robust set of key messages and FAQs highlighting the importance of these projects to the cost, supply and security of more renewable energy, working closely with National Grid’s corporate lines on the Great Grid Upgrade. 

For the DCO projects, Cavendish delivered three rounds of consultation on the project and developed the engagement materials, striking the right balance between providing complex information in a digestible and engaging way. This included developing easy read guides for neurodivergent groups alongside developing a series of animations, videos and interactive and digital mapping to explain the project with impact.  

Consultations also had to be quickly adapted to events, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.  

Cavendish ensured the strategy could withstand a challenging community context with mounting opposition and the creation of lobby groups by developing robust FAQs, mythbusters and having a coordinated approach with National Grid’s press team to proactively and reactively stay ahead of challenges. Cavendish also devised a social media campaign in areas where community opposition was most prevalent which focused on promoting the benefits of these reinforcements delivering cleaner, greener energy.  

Cavendish engaged key stakeholders from grassroots groups to Members of Parliament on the project, key benefits and looked to resolve issues where they existed. Cavendish is also facilitating initiatives which will distribute community benefit funding in the areas hosting the new projects.  

Cavendish also supported through the submission and examination of the Bramford to Twinstead project, providing responses to written representations and proactively engaging media outlets at key points in the project.