Representation by Mary Shipman
- Date submitted
- 7 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Firstly we support the views expressed by Friston Parish Council together with Substation Action|Save East Suffolk. Our specific concerns are as follows:- 1. The cumulative impact of all the energy projects planned for the Suffolk Coast has not been properly taken into account. Insufficient weight is given to the impact of the construction of EA1N and EA2 in combination with Sizewell C in the same timeframe. The National Grid Ventures’ projects, Nautilus and Eurolink, are also planned to connect to the same NG substation proposed by SPR at Friston. Extensions to the Galloper and Greater Gabbard windfarms are also in the planning stage. The local area is not capable of assimilating all this development. 2. Scottish Power Renewables has undertaken not to sterilize the cable route for the future of these other energy projects. This will prevent re-instatement and mitigation in terms of landscaping and footpaths along the cable route and at the substations site. 3. The above cumulative impacts leave the residents of East Suffolk with an uncertain and disruptive future, impacting their quality of life and financial position for an unacceptably extensive period of time. 4. Residents of Friston will suffer permanent damage to their environment, which cannot be overcome by mitigation. The projected growth of the mitigation planting has been grossly overstated given the soil conditions and dry climate of East Suffolk. The visuals provided by SPR are misleading in this respect. 5. The village of Friston has an existing problem of flooding due to an inadequate surface water drainage system. SPR have acknowledged that their development will exacerbate this flood risk and resulting sediment, yet have failed to demonstrate that mitigation measures relating to their proposal to discharge into the Friston Watercourse are sufficient or feasible. Full details and calculations of these mitigation proposals must be addressed prior to consent being considered. 6. The proposed substation sites are encircled by several Listed Buildings, including the Grade II* Parish Church, which is in close proximity and whose setting will be irreversibly damaged. Mitigation planting also damages the agricultural setting of the nearby Listed farmhouses. 7. The footpath (FP6) running north from the village of Friston to Little Moor Farm is proposed to be permanently closed. This is a historic footpath which formed the Parish Boundary between Knodishall and Friston. The proposed permanent alternative route next to Grove Road is unacceptably long, noisy and unattractive. The 26 PRoWs along the cable route to be temporarily closed or diverted will severely reduce the attractiveness of the area to visitors and negatively affect the important tourist economy. 8. The proposal to use a baseline limit of 34 DB at just two locations is unacceptable. No person in Friston should be disturbed by noise from the substations either inside or outside their homes. SPR have not adopted a penalty for “tonality” and this should be imposed to reduce impact and disturbance on residents. 9. There has been no public consultation on the National Grid substation, which forms part of both the EA1N and EA2 substation applications, despite the NG substation being considered to be an NSIP in its own right. This has led to defective consultation and site selection. 10. The engineering design of the substations is poor and a lower impact design in terms of height and appearance is undoubtedly achievable. 11. The development results in a significant loss of Grade 2 and 3 agricultural land. 12. There will be light pollution along the length of the cable route in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, SSRIs and other special sites. This will be intensified around construction compounds, where 24-hour lighting has been proposed. Permanent motion sensitive lighting has been proposed for the substations site, including car-parking areas and its impact on people and wildlife has not been properly assessed. 13. There will be damage to onshore ecology including the destruction of four badger setts and several bat roosting sites at the substation site and many years of disruption to wildlife along the cable route. 14. There will be unacceptable negative impacts on the tourist economy of East Suffolk and a negative effect on inward investment by those seeking to live in the area. This will in turn lead to a loss of jobs locally, whilst the onshore operation associated with the windfarms creates no permanent jobs. 15. There will be an unacceptable burden of additional traffic on the local rural road network, especially cumulatively with Sizewell C. The A12/A1094 junction is an accident blackspot and the proposed mitigation is insufficient. 16. The cliffs north of Thorpeness are totally unsuitable as a landfall site, being extremely fragile and a local beauty site.