Representation by Stephanie Powell
- Date submitted
- 21 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I strongly object to the ScottishPower Renewables planning application for the following reasons:- Traffic The local road network is wholly unsuitable for the high levels of traffic and especially the HGVs that would be involved. There are several narrow points on the A1094 where 2 HGVs travelling in opposite directions would have difficulty passing. This would cause delays to other road users. Please bear in mind that Aldeburgh is a tourist destination and traffic disruption therefore matters to the livelihoods of many people employed in Aldeburgh. I understand the HGVs would travel north on the B1122 accessed from the roundabout in Aldeburgh. This area is narrow and can be time consuming for standard motor cars to negotiate due to oncoming traffic and the presence of parked vehicles along the residential part of the road. This route is wholly unsuitable for the intended volume of traffic and for HGVs in particular. Environmental This area is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is afforded the highest degree of protection. This has been totally overlooked when considering landfall locations. Creating 11 kilometres of cable trenches will destroy environmentally sensitive areas and threaten wild life. The digging of trenches and heavy machinery involved will create noise pollution. I understand that the proposed wind farms will collectively generate a considerable percentage of the UK’s electricity needs. This will therefore generate a considerable amount of money which should enable offshore energy companies to collectively create an integrated offshore design. Alternative Solutions The Developers should be required to use an Offshoure Ring Main (ORM) which would remove the need for individual substations and cable corridors. Such an ORM would involve each wind farm joining the same connection via a marine cable which would mean only two landfalls locations and two large onshore substations as opposed to many individual substations like the one proposed at Friston.