Representation by Luke Canavan
- Date submitted
- 28 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
To Whom It May Concern, I would like to highlight some concerns I have about the planned Sizewell C development: The project is likely to have a significant impact on the surrounding environment, adversely affecting the natural habitat and the local communities. The construction site itself, with the necessary attending supply roads, quarries and spoil heaps will cause a lot of disruption and possibly long-term damage to a quiet and scenic area. There may have to be a very large campus built for the thousands of workers needed to build the development which would be undesirable for local residents and the increase in workers from outside the area would cause considerable traffic problems and congestion. Local footpaths and beaches would also be closed, diminishing the quality of life for all those visiting or living in the area. The development, once built, could threaten the delicate hydrology of the nearby marshes and the build would demand very large amounts of local water to maintain itself, even during dry seasons. How would this affect the surrounding habitat? The RSPB said the development could be "catastrophic for local wildlife" and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust also opposes the plan. There is also the issue of safety: in 2007, the Guardian newspaper reported a "major disaster" at Sizewell A was only averted by a contractor who happened to be washing his laundry that day and a few years ago "deadly radioactive material", as reported by the Daily Mail, was detected on nearby beaches. These issues need more investigation and discussion. Clarity is also needed regarding who exactly is building and/or owning this development as there is apparently a link to the Chinese government in this matter. If this is true, what is the nature of China's ownership and what are the possible consequences of this in the future? For merely aesthetic reasons, a beautiful and tranquil landscape should be protected from degradation by bulldozers and eyesores. Local people, and those wishing to visit the area, should be respected for wanting to preserve their landscape and ecology. I do not think interested parties have been provided enough opportunities to discuss this development and its impact in detail. Yours faithfully, Luke Canavan