Representation by Fran Crowe
- Date submitted
- 30 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
SZC would blight this protected area permanently. What I value cannot be mitigated for: I am appalled at the destruction of such a tranquil, unique and fragile area. The character of AONB landscape and settlements would be irrevocably transformed by road construction, traffic congestion, loss of coastal access, division of the AONB, harm to irreplaceable and protected wildlife and habitats, social disruption due to huge worker influx, destruction of tourism businesses, and an unquantifiable legacy to future generations dealing with nuclear waste and decommissioning on an eroding coastline. Specifically: • Application’s complexity/size is unsuitable for digital/on-line examination. • Rural road infrastructure cannot deal with huge increases in traffic/HGVs. Marine/rail options not fully explored. No legacy value in road improvements, whereas there could be with rail. • Traffic congestion impact on everyone locally - adversely affecting well-being, increasing air pollution and adding cost to businesses. Delays to emergency services potentially life-threatening. Journey times to hospital in Suffolk already amongst the longest in the country. • Increased air pollution in the region due to traffic/HGVs and the construction itself not adequately addressed, in particular: o insufficient attention given to PM2.5 particulates o ozone pollution omitted without explanation, despite consistently exceeding government objectives in this region; will be exacerbated regionally by increases in precursor pollutants caused by traffic and construction. o seasonal, meteorological and climate change impacts on air pollution ignored. o action plan in event of forecast exceedances required. o preventative and mitigatory measures required for the worst affected - especially elderly and children/schools. • Measures for communication of works and impact on the public (including cumulative impact of multiple infrastructure projects in region) inadequate, as is proposed system for complaints monitoring, analysis and remediation. I lack confidence that EDF would act promptly and effectively on serious complaints, or assess/report cumulative impact effectively. Additionally, insufficient measures to monitor their contractors’ compliance. • Inadequate plans for sea defences, taking insufficient account of sea-level rise and extreme weather events arising from climate change. Proposed nuclear waste storage on site until at least mid-22century represents a huge risk to local residents/businesses across the region. It leaves an unacceptable legacy of unquantified costs for future generations of taxpayers, and enormous safety risks, which residents and businesses cannot insure against. • No account taken of risks of pandemics, which would be heightened due to huge influx of workers, living/working/socialising/travelling in close proximity. Devastating potential impact on businesses and local population arising from: o increased risk of local lockdowns o heightened risk of infection o overwhelming pressure on emergency services and hospital facilities o severe knock-on effect to anyone suffering from ill-health for any reason, as hospitals are overwhelmed by waiting list backlogs. • Catastrophic destruction of fragile protected habitats: impossible to mitigate for; intolerable given wider UK biodiversity losses and Government’s pledge to increase measures to protect biodiversity. • Disastrous impact on landscape character (SZC’s location, design, scale); iconic views from north and south blighted by huge soviet-style industrial complex and pylons. I endorse the Relevant Representations of Stop SZC, TASC, RSPB and Suffolk Coastal FOE.