Representation by Jane Williams
- Date submitted
- 30 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Jobs/Traffic/Pollution There will not be quality jobs for local people, despite local educational establishments’ promotions. At Yoxford Village Hall, an EDF representative said most skilled jobs will be brought over from Hinkley - majority (90%) of unskilled labour will be in ‘housekeeping and catering’ . ‘Local’ defined as commuting from up to 90 minutes away: Colchester, Norwich, Cambridge providing us with more traffic. Commuting will add to traffic, noise and air pollution. Up to 1,140 HGVs, 700 buses, 700 LGVs and 10,000 cars will be on the A12, A14, A1120, B1122 daily & ratruns sought through villages as workers seek to avoid congestion. At Hinkley, a previous 5 minute car journey now takes longer than 25 because of traffic increase. Suffolk CC’s Air Quality recommendations advises residents to report excessive pollution for investigation. Particulate matter will increase, affecting health as at Hinkley. Residents in Yoxford are especially worried about idling vehicles at the proposed massive new roundabout from the North and South fed by Darsham Park and Ride. The EDF promotional image of a neatly placed Sizewell C (and D) on this area of unspoiled countryside belies the fact that we will necessarily be turned into an industrial estate for 12 years (Scottish Power also planning) deterring tourists and the £26m they bring annually to ‘Suffolk - the Greenest County’. Jobs in tourism will also be lost and poached. The current estimated financial cost of Sizewell C is £20 billion ( up from initial proposed 6 billion). EDF require an RAB finance model. Environment EDF (The Times 25/8/20) admits it will be 2040 before the build is done and it has paid back the 5.74 million tonnes of CO2 generated/released during construction yet advertisements suggest it is carbon neutral. EDF (as in Finland and France) has struggled with safety issues and faults. It admits that renewables are quicker, cheaper and CO2 effective. Many politicians are now changing their minds. Noise pollution will increase by 600 fold for some residents - 24/7, 365 days,12 years, site lights on and noisy machinery impacting on bats and birds. Habitation of many animals will not recover. Insufficient impact assessment. Mitigation is not possible. We have serious concerns about impacts on the internationally renowned RSPB Minsmere. If we have Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB and SSSI, then what is the point of designations? Rising sea levels could put the site at risk, making it an island. Using 3,000,000 litres of water a day for 60 years in the driest county will cause problems for farmers. Multiple energy projects are planned in East Suffolk, putting it at risk from gross industrialisation. This will change its essential character and affect local people. Communities will be split apart by new roads, endure an influx of 6000 workers and face amenity closures of footpaths and beach access. EDF’s magazine tone seems very honourable. However, we have spoken with Hinkley residents who were also promised the Earth by EDF but the promises failed to be kept once permission had been granted. During the pandemic, we pleaded for EDF to defer submission until proper public scrutiny of the 56,000 documents had occurred. They ignored us. 10 years to produce plans yet 12 weeks to allow study of them is sign of a rushed project with no thought of the consequences.