Representation by Michael Laschet
- Date submitted
- 16 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Concerns from Aldringham re damage to the local environment The major energy projects planned for the Suffolk coast will cause considerable damage to the environment in and around the parish of Aldringham cum Thorpe where we live. 50 metre wide corridors for trenches and haul roads will be driven across pasture and woodland from the crumbling cliffs at Thorpeness to the huge substation planned for the village of Friston via Aldringham. This is an AONB with SSSIs protected by law. Irreplaceable fragile habitat developed over thousands of years in some cases cannot be mitigated by the inadequate proposals of SPR. The cable route crosses the B1122 close to Aldringham Court residential retirement home and further on is extremely near to Bulls Hall contrary to the assurances we were originally given of keeping clear of domestic dwellings. These are just two examples. As the route is not “sterilised” other projects bound for connecting to the installations at Friston may revisit the route causing disruption for many years to come from construction in the neighbourhood. There is concern that SPR's analysis of potential noise and light pollution from 24 hour construction is under estimating the adverse effects on nearby habitat and homes. Local traffic may be seriously adversely affected on our narrow lanes several of which are single track. HGV movements will be monitored but the uncontrolled proliferation of service vans may well impede the flow of local domestic and commercial traffic from hold-ups and casual parking. The creation of an Energy Coast replacing the current Heritage Coast will be a most regrettable development. The valuable tourist trade may be lost as visitors will stay away if the beauty of the coast is compromised. 4000 local jobs will be at risk. Compensation for loss of equity in local homes and businesses is a big future issue. A Ring Main to take all the new sources of energy arriving from the windfarms and the Continent and routing them by sea to the Thames estuary would be an excellent long term measure. It would avoid the depredation of long stretches of the coast and countryside as the installations distributing the power will be erected closer to the capital. This is in my opinion the best way to set up and integrate the various renewable energy sources that are so clearly needed. A supreme act of vandalism would be avoided.