Residents Urged to Use ‘Right to Speak’ on Long Lane Substation Plans
27 May, 2026
Residents who submitted objections to the proposed Brinsworth to High Marnham substation development should now have received a letter from Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council inviting them to exercise their “Right to Speak” at the upcoming Planning Regulatory Board meeting.
Due to the significant number of objections received, the planning application will now be determined by the Council’s Planning Regulatory Board rather than under delegated powers by the Director of Planning & Regeneration. All written comments submitted by residents and organisations will be considered by the Board as part of the decision-making process.
Under the Council’s Right to Speak policy, individuals may speak on their own behalf at the meeting, for a maximum of 3 minutes. Residents wishing to do so must register their intention, after which they will receive an invitation to attend the meeting.
To register, residents must either complete and return the tear-off slip included with the letter to RMBC within 14 days of the date of the letter, or email their request to speak at the Planning Board to development.management@rotherham.gov.uk.
Treeton Parish Council strongly encourages residents to make use of this opportunity to ensure local concerns are heard directly by decision-makers.
Councillors Marie Bancroft and Wendy Parker-Foers have continued to monitor developments closely and have played a key role in coordinating the Parish Council’s response throughout the application process. This month, Cllr Bancroft submitted a further detailed letter to RMBC outlining ongoing concerns following meetings with National Grid, responses uploaded to the planning portal, and National Highways’ request for a six-month delay to the application. Click here to read the full letter.
Background to the Proposal
The proposed development involves the construction of a new 400kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) substation on land off Long Lane, including associated infrastructure such as access roads, drainage, lighting, CCTV, landscaping works and the permanent diversion of Whiston Footpath 10.
Treeton Parish Council first submitted its formal objection to the plans in December 2025 and also produced template objection letters to assist residents wishing to submit their own comments.
In January 2026, representatives from Treeton Parish Council met with National Grid at the company’s request to discuss the proposed development and the concerns raised by the Council and residents. While the meeting provided further information about the scheme and National Grid’s position regarding the project’s role in supporting the Government’s Net Zero targets, a number of concerns raised by the Parish Council remain unresolved, particularly regarding the suitability of the proposed Long Lane location.
During the meeting, National Grid also confirmed that the land for the proposed development had already been purchased in 2025. The Parish Council believes this has raised further concerns amongst residents regarding the confidence placed in the application progressing through the planning process.
The Parish Council also understands that the technology proposed for the substation has changed significantly since the original plans were presented, resulting in a reduced development footprint. Questions remain, however, regarding whether upgrades to the existing Brinsworth substation could still be explored as an alternative to developing Green Belt land at Long Lane.
Investigatory works began on land near Long Lane in April, including ground investigations, environmental surveys and work associated with the diversion of existing overhead power lines underground.
Ongoing Concerns Raised by the Parish Council
The Parish Council continues to object to the proposed development on a number of grounds, including:
- Conflict with Green Belt protections
- Increased flood risk
- Highway safety and construction traffic concerns
- Environmental impacts
- Noise and lighting impacts
- Impact on public rights of way and community access
- Archaeological and heritage concerns
- Cumulative impact of multiple infrastructure and energy projects in the area
In its latest submission, the Parish Council also questioned why the existing Brinsworth substation could not be upgraded instead of developing Green Belt land at Long Lane. Concerns were also raised regarding the scale of other proposed renewable and energy infrastructure developments across the wider Rotherham area and the cumulative loss of Green Belt land.
The Council further highlighted concerns regarding the adequacy of environmental and agricultural land assessments submitted as part of the planning application, arguing that several reports relied too heavily on desk-based analysis and lacked sufficient on-site investigation.
The Parish Council has also continued to raise concerns regarding the environmental impact on local wildlife and habitats. The proposed development area is known to support a considerable number of protected and notable bird species, including several classified within the highest level of protection categories.
National Highways Request for Delay
In February 2026, National Highways formally requested that the planning decision be deferred for six months while further concerns are considered. These concerns reportedly include the proximity of infrastructure works to the M1 motorway, proposed cable routes, and the projected increase in construction traffic, including more than 100 additional daily vehicle movements.
The Parish Council maintains that Long Lane, in its current form, is unsuitable for significant HGV construction traffic and has raised ongoing concerns regarding highway safety and accessibility for residents throughout the construction period.
Parish Council Position
Treeton Parish Council maintains that the proposed substation development on Green Belt land at Long Lane is both unacceptable and unnecessary, and continues to call for alternative solutions to be explored.
Residents are encouraged to continue engaging with the planning process and to make use of their Right to Speak opportunity if they wish to address the Planning Regulatory Board directly.
Supporting Documents