Representation by Jenny Wells
- Date submitted
- 27 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I would like to make it very clear that I am in favour of offshore wind turbines BUT I object to the location of the proposed grid connection and substation at Friston because of the sheer scale and impact on the local community and surrounding environment. There are significant and widespread negative impacts, In particular: - the tourist industry; very important for economic growth, employment and wellbeing in East Suffolk, will be hit both in the area directly around the substation and cabling routes and have a knock on effect further afield. The Destination Management Organisation survey has forecast a potential 17% drop in tourism. - 9 km of cable trenches will threaten environmentally sensitive areas including; the Suffolk Coastal Path, the Suffolk Sandlings, officially designated Areas of Outstanding National Beauty, the destruction of mature woodland and swaths of Grade 2 and Grade 3 agricultural land. This is not a brownfield site but rather the proposals will result in the loss of an area of the best and most versatile agricultural land. The offshore turbines will themselves also have a significant and long-term negative impact on these nationally designated landscapes. - Friston is currently an attractive and quiet rural landscape, epitomising the essence of East Suffolk. The substation with its scale, associated light and noise pollution would permanently and fundamentally change the setting of this village. This DCO application is the thin end of the wedge. Friston would then become the natural magnet for future connections to the grid. - the unsuitability of the unstable and fragile cliffs at Thorpeness as a landing site for cables. - The cumulative impact of numerous, consecutively occurring, energy projects, on and around the Suffolk coast. I would like to quote Suffolk County Councillor Andrew Reid …”Taking into account Sizewell C possible development, the offshore development of round 4 Crown Estates which will be another raft of onshore and offshore building, the extensions that are planned for Galloper and Gabbard, the Nautilus and Eurolink interconnections. All of this will have a massive impact on just one place and that is Friston.” - the road infrastructure, particularly in combination with other proposed developments, is totally unsuitable for high traffic levels and more HGVs. Traffic congestion will further impact on the tourist trade, the local environment and its’ residents. And finally - The lack of an overarching strategic plan for energy projects in East Suffolk which means that all projects are considered in isolation whilst local communities and environments are left vulnerable to cumulative proposals.