The National Grid (Yorkshire Green Energy Enablement Project) Development Consent Order 2024

29.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) the undertaker must not exercise in respect of any railway property the powers conferred by this Order in—

(a) article 19 (discharge of water);

(b) article 21 (authority to survey and investigate the land);

(c) article 26 (extinguishment and suspension of private rights of way);

(2) The powers in sub-paragraph (1) shall not be exercised in respect of any railway property unless the exercise of such powers is with the consent of Network Rail such consent not to be unreasonably withheld and if by the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which such request for Network Rail’s consent was made Network Rail has not intimated their refusal together with the grounds of any such refusal of such consent the undertaker may serve upon Network Rail written notice requiring Network Rail to intimate approval or disapproval within a further period of 14 days beginning with the date upon which Network Rail receives written notice from the undertaker. If by the expiry of the further 14 days Network Rail has not intimated consent or refusal of consent, Network Rail is deemed to have given consent for the exercise of the respective powers.

(3) The undertaker must not in the exercise of any of the powers conferred by this Order prevent pedestrian or vehicular access to any railway property, unless preventing such access is with the consent of Network Rail.

(4) The undertaker must not exercise the powers conferred by sections 271 or 272 of the 1990 Act, article 26 (extinguishment and suspension of private rights), article 28 (power to override easements and other rights or private rights of way) or article 40 (statutory undertakers), in relation to any right of access of Network Rail to railway property, but such right of access may be diverted with the consent of Network Rail.

(5) The undertaker must not under the powers of this Order do anything which would result in railway property being incapable of being used or maintained or which would affect the safe running of trains on the railway.

(6) Where Network Rail is asked to give its consent pursuant to this paragraph, such consent must not be unreasonably withheld but may be given subject to reasonable conditions but it shall never be unreasonable to withhold consent for reasons of operational or railway safety (such matters to be in Network Rail’s absolute discretion).

(7) The undertaker must enter into an asset protection agreement prior to the carrying out of any specified work.