Representation by Elizabeth Thomas
- Date submitted
- 20 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
As a resident of Friston, I wish to object to the DCO Application by Scottish Power Renewables (SPR) in respect of the proposed EA1(N) Windfarm, and support fully the objections raised by Friston Parish Council and the SASES group working on behalf of the Council. In particular I wish to object to the massive increase in local traffic that will be needed to service a development of this size, and the limitations that this will cause to me and others living in this quiet area of East Suffolk. SPR has failed totally to recognise that the village of Friston is set in farmland and serviced mainly by narrow country lanes. These lanes provide access to local amenities such as shops, transport links, schools, medical facilities and leisure facilities as well as forming the backbone for recreational cycling and rambler groups. SPR intend to impose traffic controls where the construction haul road crosses the public road system. These, when combined with “improvements” planned by SPR to the A12-Friday Street junction and at other sites seem certain to impede the smooth passage of local traffic and more worryingly, the response times of emergency vehicles. There is no local contribution to the development: all traffic concerned with the development will arrive and leave via the A12. SPR has not produced a coherent traffic management plan. The sole concession to villagers’ concerns has been a statement that all HGV traffic will be “monitored”. By definition, this means that all other traffic concerned with the development will be ‘uncontrolled’, leading to narrow lanes being used as “rat-runs” For this DCO, SPR have introduced the concept of a “Pre-construction Road” commencing at the Grove Road and Church Lane intersection, just a few hundred yards from the centre of the village. [see map reference TM 41480 60528]. This proposal has not been subject to any consultation during the past 24 months. It poses significant dangers to the residents of Friston, given that: • Grove Road, Church Road/Lane and Mill Road are all single lane roads with limited sightlines, sharp bends and lacking any pedestrian pavements • These roads are bounded on one side by residential properties whose driveways have restricted visibility • They provide the only vehicular access to the Parish Church, allotments and Village Hall • Grove Road is bordered by unfenced access to the children’s play area SPR have treated all traffic issues as being “temporary”, forgetting that for many in the village, a development lasting a minimum of 4 years (and possibly 7 or more when combined with the proposed EA2 development), is in effect, a lifetime. In summary, my objection to SPR’s proposal is that I will be placed in danger when walking around the village to visit friends, accessing the church, village pub and Village Hall. The increased traffic volume will change the character of my rural village into an urban area with noise and pollution preventing the quiet enjoyment of my home and garden.