Representation by Mark Beaumont
- Date submitted
- 30 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I raise the following areas of significant concern over the Sizewell C Application specific to Theberton and the proposed Sizewell Link Road (Work No. 12B). 1. Community Consultation Inadequate and Unlawful – 2008 Planning Act • Communities would be cut in half by the proposed Theberton bypass, which would sever access and lead to immediate and lasting physical and mental health issues for local residents. • Refer to DCO Work No.12B (Theberton bypass). • Promoter has not considered merits of any amendments or concerns put forward by local stakeholders nor engaged adequately with local communities at any stage. • No response or acknowledgement to relevant pre-application consultation objections despite lawful obligation for promoter to have regard to relevant responses under S49 of the Planning Act 2008. • Promoter’s consultation process is a textbook beacon example of how not to engage with communities and ride roughshod over people’s lives and livelihoods in the name of economy. 2. Sizewell Link Road – Irreparable Impact on Listed Building Not Considered • The proposed Theberton Bypass route would pass within 200m directly west of Grade II listed Theberton Hall (1792) – described as having “high heritage significance” in Environmental Statement 9.4.109. • Refer to DCO Work No.12B (Theberton Bypass) and Bk6 Environmental Statement Chapter 1 Figure 1.4 and Chapter 2 Figure 2.1. • The Sizewell link road is planned to be raised on a prominent 4 metre embankment west of Theberton Hall, causing significant light, noise, air pollution and impact on privacy, admitted by the promoter. • The SW prevailing wind and increased air pollution would cause material physical impact to a delicate Listed Building. • The Sizewell link road is far too disruptive and should be replaced with the D2, recommended by the Highways Authority. 3. Sizewell Link Road – Pretty Road Stopping Up – Junction Not Fit for Purpose • Pretty Road is a busy community link route from Theberton to Saxmundham, the most important local hub with rail station, Tesco and Waitrose. The proposed Sizewell link road would sever it with Pretty Road being stopped up for motor traffic. The link road would instead be spanned with a new 44m long, 5m wide bridge for non-motorised users only. • Refer to DCO Work No. 12C and Plan Bk2 2.10 SLR Pt 2/3 - SZC-SZ0204-XX-000-DRW-100139. • There is no logic to limiting any bridge to non-motorised traffic bridge. The critical, overriding demand on Pretty Road is for motor vehicles to access Saxmundham. This point has been made repeatedly to the promoter, which has ignored all concerns (see Environmental Statement 3.3.9-3.3.12). • The stopping up would also make the historic, principal access route to Theberton Hall unusable, becoming a dead end. It is used by 95% of all visits – including oil tankers, which are unable to use the alternative access route to the east. • The Sizewell Link Road should be replaced with the D2 access road. Any Pretty Road bridge over any proposed Theberton bypass must serve motor traffic in order to retain connectivity to Saxmundham and to maintain the relevance of Theberton Hall’s principal access route.