Representation by Mrs Susan J Stone
- Date submitted
- 20 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
1.East Suffolk is one of the lowest rainfall areas in the UK. Existing demands on water from farming, housing and tourism are already high and droughts, as experienced this spring, are leading to significant strain on water supply. Both construction and operation of Sizewell C will greatly increase demand for mains water (estimated at 1,600m3 per day for operation alone) as will servicing the domestic water needs of the campus. It of great concern how this large increase in demand is going to be met without being to the detriment of existing water needs essential for farming, domestic supply and natural wetland and river systems. 2.The increase in road traffic and pollution (noise, air and vibration) to and from the development will be both to the long-term detriment of, and beyond the capacity of the A12, 'feeder' roads and all local settlements on these routes. In recent years, new housing and development in the east Suffolk has significantly increased traffic flow and congestion. Many roads are unsafe for other road users like cyclists and pedestrians. The Sizewell C DCO plans to ‘ease flow and prevent congestion’ do not take sufficient account of the current local traffic and road layout. This is demonstrated by the proposals for the Southern Park and Ride outside of Wickham Market. My understanding is that the proposed measures to maintain traffic flow are either to • prevent parking outside of roadside houses on a residential section of the B1078 north east of the High Street. This would increase traffic through a residential area and potentially be damaging to historic/period buildings. or • a diversion off the B1078 down a single-track lane via Valley farm, over a single lane, weight-restricted, historic bridge. It would then continue along a mostly single-track road that is periodically inundated and impassable when the River Deben is floods. These proposals are beyond the capacity of and damaging to the local infrastructure as well as being detrimental to the quality of life and character of both Wickham Market and surrounding villages within the ‘feeder area’ of the park and ride. 3. Sizewell C is within Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and Suffolk Heritage Coast, a fully protected landscape under the (CRoW) Act 2000. Sizewell C would also potentially adversely impact the immediately adjacent Minsmere-Walberswick Heaths and Marshes SSSI and Sizewell Marshes SSSI. SSSIs are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). These statutory designations clearly demonstrate the importance of the area both for landscape and biodiversity and as such should be afforded the legal protection commensurate with the designation. The proposals for Sizewell C are therefore not appropriate for this protected location.