Representation by Caroline Price
- Date submitted
- 24 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am strongly opposed to the proposed Sizewell C development on the following grounds: Its effect on the natural habitat, wildlife and unique quality of this stretch of Suffolk coast would be devastating. It would be situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) (purpose: "to conserve and enhance natural beauty") and destroy much of the Sizewell Belts, granted SSSI status for the exceptional importance of its particular habitat: the importance of preserving lowland heath is recognised nationally. It thus makes a mockery of such designations. Less than 10% of the British countryside is free for people to walk in and enjoy. East Anglia is a predominantly agricultural region and there is very little land that is genuinely wild, natural and accessible to everyone. The Suffolk coast draws people from all over the country who come to experience tranquil walks, dark skies and exceptional wildlife. The RSPB reserve at Minsmere is one of the best known nationally. The projected development would cut right across the AONB, would have a severe impact on sensitive views and an equally severe impact on existing habitats and their wildlife. I have a particular interest on lepidoptera and there is one species of butterfly - the Grayling - which exists in only two places in Suffolk, one of which is the Sizewell Belts. It is designated as a protected species in Suffolk - and yet if this project goes ahead, much of its habitat will be permanently destroyed. A butterfly colony cannot survive a 10-12 year hiatus. Insect and animal species, and natural habitats, in the UK are declining all the time. The UK is already one of the more "de-natured" countries on the planet, with plummeting levels of the biodiversity that all experts agree is essential for the survival of the human species. How can we justify making this situation worse if we don't have to? EDF has a track record of not keeping environmental promises. Its mitigation measures have been forced out of it and don't go anywhere near far enough or compensate in any way for the irreplaceable loss of this unique habitat. I believe that this development would have a detrimental impact on the tourist industry that has flourished precisely because of the unique quality of our Suffolk coast. And, speaking personally, I am one of many, many people I know who walk regularly in the Kenton Hills, Eastbridge and Sizewell Belts area for the richness, well-being and sheer quality of life that the landscape offers. I believe that these benefits, not quantifiable in monetary terms, far outweigh the mainly short-term economic benefits arising from the construction project. I am also extremely concerned about the level of traffic and associated construction that would be generated by this project, the pressure it would put on our narrow country roads and the villages and towns that would be detrimentally affected by it. I feel we should be making far more effort to reduce our energy consumption and developing renewable energy rather than committing an extortionate amount of money to a project that I fear is being promoted primarily to save France's nuclear reputation. I think it is quite possible (as demonstrated in previous cases) that this new station, if started, might never be finished, in which case our precious landscape and all the species that depend on it , to say nothing of its immeasurable human value, will have been destroyed for no reason.