Back to list East Anglia ONE North Offshore Windfarm

Representation by Margaret Knight

Date submitted
19 January 2020
Submitted by
Members of the public/businesses
  1. Objection I object to the onshore elements of the proposal as a resident of Friston although I am not opposed to green energy I am opposed to the onshore industrialisation as proposed to be sited immediately next to my village. This will destroy a beautiful village that has remained unspoiled for 100’s of years on the beautiful Heritage Coast. If the application as its stands is approved, footpaths used by local people, myself included, and by tourists will be closed creating an industrial landscape and devastation for the village and surrounding Heritage Coast. a. noisy and visually intrusive substation complex; b. new National Grid connection hub; c. Inappropriate site selection; d. flawed impact assessment. over 30 acres - 18m high, in a rural community next to the flood prone historic village of Friston together with: a. impossible to mitigate onshore aspects of the project. 2. CUMULATIVE IMPACT - SPR have not addressed the impact of EA1N with 5 other major energy projects in the same area, Nautilus, Eurolink, Galloper, Greater Gabbard expansion and Sizewell C. 3. SITE SELECTION - The National Grid substation will be used for several projects 4. FLOOD RISK a. SPR has not adequately assessed flood risk impact to Friston. b. Flood issues cannot remain unresolved. 5. LAND USE a. There is a significant loss of Grade 2 and 3 agricultural land, over 30 hectares. 6. HERITAGE a. impacts upon five Grade II and two Grade II* listed buildings. b. visualisations do not include key views. c. historic parish/hundred boundary over substation site. 7. NOISE a. The Environmental Statement has many errors and omissions. b. Noise levels unacceptable - rural environment with low night time noise level. c. Working hours 6 days per week unacceptable destroying resident’s peaceful enjoyment. 8. TRAFFIC a. A12 / A1094 junction is an accident blackspot - mitigation inadequate. b. Impact to emergency vehicles. c. only Heavy Goods Vehicles will be monitored. d. pre-construction impacts on rural life in a village 100’s of years old. e. roads are too narrow for construction. 9. HUMAN HEALTH a. traffic and the noise, air, light pollution and disruption over 5/6 years even before the impact of other projects. b. permanent loss of footpaths, tranquillity, landscape/heritage damage, noise and light pollution. c. financial uncertainty. 10. LANDSCAPE i. site selection impacts on landscape and visuals. ii. due to inappropriateness of location the substations would: a. Sever the village which is open and rural. b. Require an access road, 1.7km long and 8m wide; c. Harm the setting of Friston Church (Grade II*); d. Requires 9km long cable routes. Issues: - a. planting cannot mitigate development b. no visuals showing the scheme and Friston village together. c. lack of detail e.g. the access road. d. no viewpoints from the footpaths north of the site. 11. TOURISM, SOCIO ECONOMIC a. Friston village holds fund raising events e.g. Open Gardens, Classics on the Green – tourists unlikely to visit if the village is destroyed by the onshore construction works and permanent industrialisation. b. Financial compensation will never mitigate the impacts on Friston. 12. FOOTPATHS a. the permanent closure of a well-used footpath leading north from the village of Friston. 13. SUBSTATION DESIGN a. An independent designer to verify and consider a low impact design solution. b. National Grid’s developments should be subject to the same design criteria as SPR. 14. LIGHT POLLUTION a. There will be significant light pollution given the “dark skies” of a rural environment. b. Construction 6 day working to 7pm and on occasion 7 day and 24 hour working. c. No indication as to how frequently lighting will be needed for maintenance. 15. SAFETY a. No risk assessment has been provided for the substations. b. Gas Insulated switchgear is potentially harmful - potential leaks, no mitigation. c. The safety and security of all residents unmitigated.