Representation by Edwina Galloway
- Date submitted
- 30 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Relevant representation about Sizewell C As a resident in a directly impacted Parish I wish to raise concerns about: Sustainability re: NPPF 27 8. Promoting healthy and safe communities & 30 9. Promoting sustainable transport A. In addition to increasingly erratic weather due to Climate Change, East Anglia is one of the driest areas of the Country and water may run out in 20 years (Source: Anglia Water), therefore the largest development in Europe on top of many other energy projects and increased house building as per the recently approved Local Plan is not sustainable. B. The State of the World's Plants and Fungi report from Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Kew estimated that 39.4% of plants are now threatened with extinction, a jump from one in five plants thought to be at risk in Kew's 2016 report. Researchers say the planet may be losing plant species more quickly than science can find, name and study them, which could have big consequences in the search for food crops that are resilient in the face of climate change and new medicines. Fast track risk assessments so key areas can be protected, and species can be conserved without delay is recommended. Not only this, but with Britain at the bottom of the G7 biodiversity league table with the Natural History Museum finding humans have destroyed half of the country’s nature, scientists are blaming a past destruction of nature and what is happening today. EDF’s assessment of biodiversity and the impact of their proposals are not keeping pace with the need to preserve and enhance the valued ecological assets of Suffolk. C. The transport proposals include 60% delivery by road and bring congestion and emissions which will cause harm to air quality and public health in a rural area. As the A12 is ‘the’ artery for coastal Suffolk, any issues with the A12 cause chaos to daily life. For example, strong winds close the Orwell Bridge, and in total, this has led to 50 hours and 53 minutes of closures since the start of 2020 already higher than the total time closed during the two years preceding this. Similarly, strong winds and torrential rain cause trees to fall on A12 (not a trunk road and not dual carriageway throughout) blocking lanes and causing congestion, the alternative routes being on unpaved minor roads. Again, this is not sustainable. D. The transport proposals are encouraging a culture of car use. By providing a large car park at the main site, combined with unambitious car share targets (achieved elsewhere by contractual arrangements both for employees and contractors) the proposals are not sustainable. E. There will be significant impacts from the proposed development on the transport network (both in terms of capacity and congestion), for example an additional 10,000 car movements (EDFs figures) are expected to made at peak, and due to the siting of the link road, without change, much traffic will be drawn to our Parish funnelling through to Sizewell. The residual cumulative impacts on our small winding, un-paved, unlit, single track road network will be severe. In the parish of Kelsale-cum-Carlton we would be impacted on all sides by transport related issues and it would reduce the ability to meet day-to-day needs and not improve the health, social, cultural well-being of all sections of the community in making access to services and facilities difficult. F. EDF’s plans are not wholly a ‘brownfield site’ development. With areas for wildlife becoming increasingly small and fragmented all over the world, it means habitats that support rare and vulnerable wildlife need to be protected from the worst impacts of human development. Minsmere is vitally important, but wildlife does not follow rules, so other areas in Suffolk also need to be protected against the impacts of such a development. The proposals are for the wrong part of the country and not sustainable. G. The Parish has tranquil areas which have remained relatively undisturbed by noise and are prized for their amenity value. Although primarily agricultural it also has tourism, with both residents and visitors enjoying the intrinsically dark nightscape and nature conservation. Our parish has 2 organic farms, roadside nature reserves, nature reserves and wildlife recorded by both residents and its Biodiversity group with the Suffolk Biodiversity Information service including red list species. Much of this you can see on the Parish Councils website [Redacted]. Many of the impacts described here can also be found on the responses to previous consultations which can also be found on the same website. Thank you for your time reading this.