Representation by Saxmundham Town Council (Saxmundham Town Council)
- Date submitted
- 16 July 2020
- Submitted by
- Local authorities
Saxmundham Town Council's position on the development of the Sizewell C Nuclear Power Saxmundham Town Council notes that EDF submitted application for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant for planning consent on May 26th, and that the UK Planning Inspectorate on 24th June accepted for examination the planning application for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant. Council is concerned about pursuing the application at a time when community engagement and consultation are difficult, and notes that: 1) The Town Council has taken part in all stages of the EDF consultation; at each stage we have raised significant issues about the unacceptable environmental and social costs to the town and area, but very little about the development proposals has changed, and there have been significant gaps of information in the documentation provided. 2) Other Councils and local stakeholders have raised similar concerns in respect of the environmental and social costs and risks, the huge disruption and burden on local services, the importance of preserving our unique heritage coast, the detrimental impact on wildlife and ecology particularly in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, and the potential damage to our existing local economy including tourism. 3) The national debate on energy has also moved on significantly since the project was first announced in 2009/10 with greater focus on the potential of renewable energy sources; this is also relevant given the long life-cycle of the project (projected completion and first generation dates of Sizewell C now being in the early to mid 2030s). Saxmundham Town Council is therefore opposed to the development of the Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station as presently proposed.