The developers of the £430m Greenlink interconnector rerouted a planned cable after hundreds of Harry Potter fans protested that the original route would cross Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, which many treat as the fictional character Dobby's grave. Simon Ludlam, a former project director, said a BBC Wales interview triggered the outcry and the team worked with planners to avoid the dune memorial. The episode illustrates how local campaigns and conservation issues — such as costly bat-protection measures on HS2 — can reshape major UK infrastructure projects.
Harry Potter Fans Force Reroute Of £430m Greenlink Cable To Protect 'Dobby's Grave' At Freshwater West
Dobby, who was freed from slavery as a house elf by Harry Potter in the fantasy novel, is commemorated by a memorial on the beach - Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
Developers of the £430m Greenlink interconnector agreed to reroute a planned cable after hundreds of Harry Potter fans protested that the original alignment would cut across Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire — a site devotees consider the fictional house-elf Dobby's grave.
The colourful stones left by fans have become a feature of the beach, near Tenby, which is popular with surfers - Jens Otte
Freshwater West, made famous in the Harry Potter films as the location associated with Dobby's death, has become an informal shrine where visitors leave painted pebbles, decorated stones and even socks among the dunes. Those tokens have become a distinctive feature of the beach near Tenby, popular with surfers and day visitors alike.
Dobby made his first appearance in the second book and film of the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Below, one fan drew a picture of the elf on a stone for the grave - Warner Bos Pictures 2002
Simon Ludlam, who served as director of the Greenlink project from 2017 to 2019 and whose consultancy Etchea Energy advised on the development, described the episode on the podcast The Energy Revolution. He said that after the scheme secured consents from local authorities and landowners, a short interview with BBC Wales explaining the planned dune crossing triggered hundreds of calls from angry fans who feared the cable would go "straight through Dobby's grave."
Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
"Dobby? Who's Dobby?" Mr Ludlam admitted asking when he was told why the public outcry had escalated, before his permitting colleague urged the team to respond.
The development team subsequently worked with planners to adjust the route and avoid the dune area used by fans as a memorial. Mr Ludlam said the alignment was changed so the interconnector would not impact the site fans treat as Dobby's resting place. Etchea Energy was contacted for comment.
Simon Ludlam recalled how he asked 'Dobby, who's Dobby?' when told about the outcry
Wider Context: Local Campaigns And Conservation Impacting Infrastructure
The Dobby episode underscores how local activism and conservation concerns can reshape major UK infrastructure projects. A recent high-profile example is HS2: in 2024 the project’s leadership conceded it would need to spend around £100m to build a 1km tunnel through ancient woodland in Buckinghamshire to protect rare bats after intervention from Natural England, which enforces legal protections for the species.
Political choices have also altered HS2’s scope. In 2023 the government cancelled the northern leg beyond Birmingham because of escalating costs, leaving only the London–Birmingham section, and ministers have since announced delays to original completion targets. During the June Makerfield by-election campaign, Andy Burnham said he would seek to reinstate HS2’s northern leg if elected prime minister.
Why this matters: The Greenlink reroute is a reminder that even projects with regulatory consents can face significant public pressure — sometimes from unexpected sources — and that planners, developers and communities often must find compromises to move schemes forward.
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