Cadent unveils plan for 90-mile hydrogen pipeline
New proposals have been launched on a scheme to connect Nottinghamshire and the Humber with a gas pipeline, intended to power low carbon industries across the East Midlands.
Infrastructure firm Cadent says the new line, which will supply hydrogen to industry across the Humber, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire region, will boost inward investment and also provide a route to market for hydrogen producers such as the HyMarnham Energy Park in the north east of the county.
The project is part of East Coast Hydrogen, a collaboration between National Gas, Northern Gas Networks and Cadent to connect planned hydrogen production and storage with industrial users in the region.
However spades are unlikely to hit the ground for at least five years, as the proposals work their way through the government’s consent order process for nationally significant infrastructure projects.
Today, Cadent says it’s still in the early stages of working up its proposals, with assessment exercises carried out in the early part of 2026 set to shape the finer details of the project, including its route. A consultation will then be launched on the detailed proposals later in the year.
An illustrative map of a proposed pipeline between the Humber and Nottinghamshire. The precise route of the scheme is yet to be decided. Credit: Cadent
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said the project represents the kind of “ambitious investment” required for the region, outlined in her ten-year growth plan, launched late last year.
“Green growth is one of our key priorities — driving innovation, attracting new investment, and supporting our industries and communities to thrive in a low-carbon future,” she said.
“Connecting hydrogen production at HyMarnham Energy Park with major employers across our region helps businesses to decarbonise while also creating the foundations for sustainable economic growth and skilled jobs for generations to come.”
Following a planned consultation, the scheme is expected to be determined by the government’s consent order process, which is used for so-called Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
The process typically takes around four to five years.
“We are immensely proud to be playing our part in building a thriving hydrogen economy and decarbonising this industrial heartland,” said Adam Knight, H2East Pipeline: Humber to Nottinghamshire project director at Cadent.
“We will be listening carefully to what businesses and local communities tell us in the coming months. Their views will help shape our proposals, including the details of the route.”
