Representation by Save Our Sandlings (Save Our Sandlings)
- Date submitted
- 27 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Non-statutory organisations
Save Our Sandlings is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is part of a thin strip of AONB along the Suffolk Coast. This area of AONB has special protected areas and special sites of scientific interest as well as incorporating Minsmere bird reserve. This AONB and the area around plays a special part in the quality of the landscape for local people, wildlife, and tourism which accounts for £200million pounds in East Suffolk. This is also the site of the Suffolk Sandlings. Over 90% of the precious Sandling heaths of Suffolk have been lost - and what remains is of great value and of great importance for wildlife and the environment. The value of the remaining Sandlings is widely recognised, with large amounts being Sites Special Scientific Interest. The UK has about one fifth of the Sandlings Heath left in the world. It supports rare and under threat- species including Nightjar, Tawney Owls, Stone-Curlew, Woodlark, Skylark, Silver-Studded Blue butterfly, Natterjack Toad and Red-Tipped Cudweed. This project for EAN1 and EA2 will drive cable routes the width of a motorway through the Suffolk Sandlings and this AONB landscape for 4- 8 years which is a timescale that cannot be described as temporary. National planning policy for projects of national importance states that they should not affect AONBs if there are other sites available and there should be suitable brownfield sites available for this project without placing cable routes through AONB. Wildlife will be negatively affected long term and migration routes for birds and red deer will be cut in half. People will not want to live or visit here. There will be a very detrimental effect on the tourist industry. Minsmere bird reserve will be negatively affected in terms of visitors who often walked to Thorpeness or Aldeburgh as do other tourists. Footpaths, bridleways, and cycle paths will be closed for locals, tourists and visitors with a negative impact on the local economy. Health and quality of life will be badly affected by substantial pollution by noise, light, dust, and carbon emissions. On the grounds of the devastating effects of a massive cable route(s) through the AONB and other sensitive areas alone the project should be refused. The cliffs at Thorpeness are crumbling and part of a disintegrating coastline - not suitable at all for cable landfall. The massive substations themselves are totally unsuitable for the landscape around Friston or indeed this whole East Suffolk Coastal Area and will overwhelm this beautiful village for local people and tourists alike. Views will be ruined. Again pollution of all kinds will be at an unacceptable level. The effects of construction traffic and haul roads arising from this project will have a very negative effect on the area for local people and tourists. Times to get anywhere will be greatly increased by the building of the massive complex and the cable route over a long timescale affecting people's wish to remain in the area or visit it. There will be no benefit to the local area with no local jobs. It will have an effect on ambulance and fire engines response times. The traffic gridlock effects will be greatly intensified by other energy projects planned for the area such as Sizewell C and D, and two Continental Interconnectors happening at the same time. The noise, light, dust and other pollution will be unacceptable. The siting of the project is flawed and solely based on inadequate and out of date national grid connections and no overall plan that takes into account the special qualities of this East Suffolk Landscape. The Secretary of State has promised an inquiry into this problem in Suffolk and Norfolk which will look into the possibility of a ring main or a hub out at sea as is used in other countries or at least the siting of these substations on suitable brownfield sites. This application should be turned down or at least halted until the results of this inquiry are known. It should be turned down on the grounds of the above very adverse effects that this project will have on the sensitive much-visited East Suffolk area with its Sandlings, Heritage Coast, AONB coastal strip, SSSIs and special protected areas and beautiful landscape inland.