The design and landscaping associated with the onshore substation was subject to approval with Swale Borough Council in consultation with the local community.

The key principles of the design and landscaping were submitted to the council in the form of The Design and Landscaping Submission Document (this document and corresponding figures can be downloaded in the Archives and Downloads section).

This document has been approved by Swale Borough Council and the relevant planning conditions discharged. 

Landscaping

The substation site would be at 6.4m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD), and cut into the north face of Cleve Hill. Surplus spoil would not be removed from site, but instead used to create landscape bunds around the site, principally to the south of the substation, and to the north of the access road. The land remodelling would raise the contours of Cleve Hill by about 4m to the south of the site, and by about 5m to the north of the access road.

Woodland planting is proposed on and around the bunds to provide further screening. The bunds would be created in the first year of the construction programme, as spoil becomes available from site levelling. Tree planting is also proposed to the north of the substation site. At the edges of the woodland areas a shrub mix is proposed. Suitable wildflower mixes would be used on all other areas within the site. All proposed planting would be locally native species mixes. It is anticipated that details of planting will be the subject of agreement with Swale Borough Council.

Planting would commence in the first planting season after the bunds have been formed. Wildflower seeding would take place in either April or September after completion of the ground modelling. All planting will be maintained throughout the period of the substation operation.