Representation by GCJ Powell
- Date submitted
- 26 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I strongly object to the SPR planning application. I am in favour of offshore wind farms but I object to the onshore elements of SPR’s plans. From papers I have seen it is clear that there is no strategic plan in relation to the development of the offshore wind farm farm potential off East Anglia. SPR and other renewable energy providers are using this lack of a comprehensive plan to make planning applications which due to the social, economic and environmental costs associated with the onshore elements of these developments are wholly unsuitable. The driver for SPR is simply lowest financial cost. Until such time as a comprehensive strategic plan has been developed all offshore wind farm applications should be put on hold. In the absence of any such strategic plan the approval of any such applications is tantamount to gross mismanagement by the Government. A strategic plan should consider alternatives for the onshore installations such an offshore ring main round east Anglia, which the Dutch are investigating. It should also seek to reduce as far as possible the overall economic, social and environmental costs of the onshore elements, rather than being driven by just the financial costs. Development of the wind potential off East Anglia if properly managed could be a win-win project. The UK would get a significant proportion of its energy from a clean and renewable source and East Anglia would not be ruined.