Back to list The Sizewell C Project

Representation by Diana Hinton (Diana Hinton)

Date submitted
24 September 2020
Submitted by
Members of the public/businesses
  1. I, Diana Hinton[Redacted] which consists of the oldest part (at least 1602), the walled garden, tennis court and separate garden, two fields to the west and Pond Wood. My late husband purchased the property in the early 1970s. I wish to be registered as an interested party for the Sizewell C DCO. 2. I would rather that this new nuclear power station was not proceeding but otherwise will not comment on the principle. I entirely support the need for communities on the A12 to be bypassed but the wrong route has been chosen for bypassing the A12 in our villages of Farnham and Stratford St Andrew and, if A12 relief is confined to these villages, the route should follow the alignment put forward by the Parish Council, further to the east. 3. The age of my house is evidenced by dates on external plasterwork and a fireplace. The house was extended substantially in the 1920s. Under a building scheme in the 1960s, the rear wing was converted into other dwellings and several buildings in the farm complex have also been converted to residential use. 4. Farnham is an ancient settlement (in Domesday 1086). In the late 12th century the church and manor were given to the new Butley Priory. No other site is a candidate for having been the medieval manor. It is evident that there was a very old farm estate around Farnham Manor. My property is listed Grade II*. Pond Wood has been accepted by Natural England as Ancient Woodland, with quite possibly medieval carp ponds. 5. The need for Farnham and Stratford St Andrew to be bypassed is clear; relief will be afforded to listed buildings directly fronting the A12 in Farnham and Elm Tree Farmhouse close by and for the people who live and work on this busy road. It is wrong, however, that the problems along the A12 should be relieved at the expense of the 20 dwellings affected by EDF’s western alignment, whereas an eastern alignment would have much more limited effect on the built and natural environment. The public interest is best served by an eastern alignment, which will be both cheaper and easier to build. 6. EDF is wrong in not also providing for relief for the villages of Little Glemham and Marlesford. If they will not get relieved now, the design should accommodate further extension for them, which an eastern alignment more readily accommodates. 7. EDF has paid insufficient regard to the built environment, in particular that of historic heritage value. Farnham Hall represents a long-standing house and manorial farming estate of historic heritage value. EDF have failed to recognise the significance of the built and natural setting of the Farnham Hall complex, which would be much better protected from serious harm by moving an alignment further to the east. 8. As an owner of an Ancient Woodland, I am deeply concerned about the impact on my Pond Wood, and also on Foxburrow Wood. To put a deep cutting in will produce high risk to the hydrology of the area, as opposed to a largely flat bypass to the east. Ancient Woodland is scarce in England and should be better protected. 9. I was not approached by EDF for consent to investigate Pond Wood. The environmental assessment is woefully lacking e.g. under-estimating the importance of the area as a wildlife corridor. The western alignment will cause unnecessary harm to the natural environment. 10. I reserve the right to amend, add to and expand on my objections during the DCO process