Back to list East Anglia ONE North Offshore Windfarm

Representation by Sheena Grant

Date submitted
23 January 2020
Submitted by
Members of the public/businesses
  1. The fragile Suffolk coast has already 'done its bit' for the nation's power needs and cannot take more industrial development of a scale outlined in these proposals. 2. The damage East Anglia One North and its associated onshore development will cut through and devastate an area that is vital for tourism, wrecking livelihoods and jobs and quality of life. 3. The project will cause irreversible damage to an internationally important Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which contains the rare and fragile Sandlings heath habitat and supports a range of plant and animal species. Trashing this will set a dangerous precedent and send out the message that sacrificing environmentally sensitive and important sites is 'fair game' when it comes to the drive for energy. 4. Development at Grove Wood, Friston, will create a precedent that greenfield sites can be developed and destroyed when there are suitable alternative brownfield sites available. 5. The development of desirable renewable energy does not have to come at the expense of onshore habitat, quality of life for local people, tourism and livelihoods. The are alternatives to destroying greenfield sites which are not being fully explored - why, for instance, is an offshore ring main not being considered? This makes so much sense and would stop more land being swallowed up with 30-acre substations. Brownfield sites should also be considered before areas such as this are looked at. 6 Currently, there is no government strategy for development of renewable energy and the associated infrastructure, leading to a 'Wild West' approach that is damaging and lacks cohesion. A national strategy looking at all these issues needs to be formulated and any further development should be put on hold unless such time as this happens.