Project Snapshot

Project: Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1)

Developers: Joint venture - major UK TSO and SP Transmission (confidential)

Route: Torness, East Lothian (Scotland) to Hawthorn Pit, County Durham (England)

Cable technology: 525 kV HVDC - first 525 kV HVDC system in the UK - extruded XLPE insulation

Cable length: 190 km route - ~400 km of HVDC cable supplied by Prysmian (GBP 750 million contract)

Capacity: 2 GW - powering over 2 million UK homes

HVDC converter stations: 2 stations (Torness and Hawthorn Pit) - GE Vernova Grid Solutions / METLEN Energy & Metals (GBP 1 billion contract)

Total investment: GBP 2.5 billion (Ofgem-approved under Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment Framework)

Phase & window: Construction ongoing - started 2025, offshore installation 2026, target commissioning 2029

Description

Project scope

EGL1 is the UK's first 525 kV HVDC transmission link and one of the most significant energy infrastructure projects currently under construction in Britain. The project connects Torness in southeast Scotland to Hawthorn Pit in northeast England via 190 km of submarine and underground cable, enabling 2 GW of Scottish renewable energy to reach England - a critical enabler of the UK's 50 GW offshore wind target by 2030 and Net Zero ambition by 2050. Construction started in 2025, with offshore cable installation underway in 2026 and commissioning targeted for 2029. The project spans both Scottish and English jurisdictions, operating under separate planning and consenting regimes - including the Development

Consent Order (DCO) framework in England and equivalent Scottish consenting processes - with multiple interfaces across onshore and offshore construction workstreams.

The Consents Manager will be embedded within the contractor's project team as the single point of accountability for environmental and consents management throughout the construction phase, covering the full EGL1 route across Scotland, England, and offshore.

! This role requires strong working knowledge of UK environmental legislation and the DCO framework. Knowledge of Scottish planning and consenting processes is a significant advantage given the cross-border nature of the project.

Role overview

To assume full responsibility for environmental and consents management during the construction phase of EGL1 - ensuring all consents, licences, and environmental requirements are implemented, monitored, and reported in compliance with the DCO, relevant legislation, and the project's Environmental Management Plan, while acting as the primary consents interface with the Employer's Consenting Team across Scotland, England, and offshore.

Reporting line: You will report to the Project Management Team and act as the primary interface with the Employer's Consenting Teams (Scotland, England, and Offshore), Site Managers, and subcontractors on all consents and environmental matters throughout construction.

Key responsibilities

• Consents & environmental management

• Act as the primary interface with the Employer's Consenting Team across Scotland, England, and Offshore throughout construction

• Manage and implement all consents and environmental requirements applicable to the project

• Ensure compliance with the DCO and all associated plans, reporting requirements, and notifications

• Implement and adhere to the project's Environmental Management Plan in accordance with the CEMP and CEMO requirements

• Manage the delivery and ownership of the environmental works programme - including surveys, licence and consent applications, pre-construction mitigations, monitoring, watching briefs, and exclusion periods

• Auditing, reporting & incidents

• Conduct environmental auditing and inspections at the intervals and procedures set out in the Contractor's site-specific CEMP

• Report all environmental incidents in accordance with relevant regulations and project requirements

• Ensure environmental incidents and investigations are completed in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements

• Complete consent reporting on a monthly and weekly basis as required

• Work with the Project Management Team and Site Managers to ensure audit findings are closed out in a timely manner

• Stakeholder & team management

• Ensure all project staff are aware of consent requirements in relation to their roles and responsibilities

• Ensure subcontractors are provided with relevant information regarding their environmental and consents responsibilities

• Deliver consents inductions and familiarisation sessions for new staff and subcontractors

• Ensure lines of reporting on consents matters are understood by all personnel in relation to their roles

• Notify the Project Management Team and Site Managers at the earliest opportunity of any issues arising concerning consents

Key deliverables

• All consents, licences, and environmental requirements implemented and complied with throughout the construction phase

• Environmental works programme delivered on schedule - surveys, mitigations, watching briefs, and exclusion periods managed proactively

• Monthly and weekly consent reports completed accurately and on time

• Environmental audits conducted to programme with all findings closed out in a timely manner

• All incidents reported and investigated in accordance with regulatory requirements and project procedures

• Staff and subcontractors fully briefed on consent requirements through inductions and ongoing communications