Advice to Robert Brundle
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- From
- Robert Brundle
- Date advice given
- 2 December 2019
- Enquiry type
Dear Secretary of State & Minister of State I am writing to you both to draw your attention to the energy chaos affecting the Suffolk Coast. It is essential that some sense and reasoning is established concerning proposals for up to 7 NSIP energy projects in pre-planning, consultation, or, shortly to apply for a DCO. National Grid appears to have been directing all these projects to the Sizewell/Leiston area, whilst ignoring that the coast here is a designated AONB. These concerns have been highlighted many times by hundreds of people but National Grid, the network operator, seems complicit in causing maximum damage and destruction by ignoring the protected landscapes, the small vulnerable communities and pursuing the path they have chosen as network operator; one that damages the sustainability and viability of the Suffolk Heritage Coast and its AONB. This coast as a destination, is vital to the success of the tourism industry here, tourism is the biggest employment sector, the coast and tourism supports so many small & medium businesses here. National Grid are surely failing in their remit as network operator in what is increasingly being seen locally as a collaboration with energy companies to exploit and savage the Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB. National Grid and the energy companies are ignoring the clear damage that will be done to tourism, local businesses and the communities that live here. The energy proposals could include some of Europe’s biggest industrial builds, for example EDF propose to build Sizewell C, within the Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB and Sandlings SSSI. In the case of Scottish Power’s EA1N & EA2 cable routes, these will run across the AONB landscape with 60m wide, 10km long cable trenches, en-route to the massive onshore substations they propose to build less than 500 metres from the small village of Friston. Not only blighting residents in Friston, but other communities with years of noise, dust, light pollution and increased traffic, and longer-term: constant noise from the moisture on the power-connectors; loss of recreational land; the ever-present threat that as more Windfarms are approved, the site could grow astronomically. I am a resident, who has recently moved to retire to the tranquillity of the Suffolk Coast: a coastline that has inspired Composers, Artists, Poets and Writers alike. However, it is clear that the cumulative effects of numerous energy projects will be too great for such a fragile coastline and its sensitive ecological location which also encompasses the RSPB reserve at Minsmere. If something is not done and fast, National Grid and your government could be responsible for a man-made ecological and localised economic disaster here on the Suffolk Coast. Residents, communities and local businesses have called for a thorough investigation and a full assessment and report on the ‘cumulative impact’ that multiple energy developments will have in this relatively confined rural/coastal location; nothing has happened. Scottish Power’s consultation and EDF’s Sizewell C consultation do not adequately assess each other’s proposals, let alone, the impacts of National Grid’s own massive convertor station and National Grid Ventures euro-connectors ‘Nautilus’ & ‘Eurolink’ bringing further concrete and industrial buildings. Please act now to ensure you are not labelled as the ministers, in a government that allowed National Grid and these energy companies to destroy the once beautiful Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB and our peaceful communities living here. Therese Coffey our local MP has, on a number of occasions, called for the National Grid and energy companies to explore brownfield options and locations. Dr Coffey and others have questioned why locations like Bradwell in Essex or other brownfield sites have not been upgraded and used. – Why was Scottish Power not forced to connect these projects EA1N & EA2 at Bramford as originally planned? – Why did Scottish Power not consider a single brownfield site? – Why is National Grid not investing in existing gird infrastructure at Bradwell and other similar locations that are not AONB or protected landscapes? – How can this be allowed to happen without any form of alternative being explored like an ‘offshore ring main’ or developing brownfield locations? – Why destroy an AONB and greenfield sites here in Suffolk? – Who polices the decisions and actions of National Grid? – Why are the cumulative impacts not being assessed and acted upon now with 7 projects muted? National Grid make billions in annual profit but they are not investing in old redundant brownfield sites, they are complicit by encouraging Scottish Power and other energy companies to join them in systematic destruction of the Suffolk AONB and surrounding countryside. It seems hypocritical that Designated Land/Greenfield sites are even allowed to be considered as an option when planning to build a Green-Energy site? I am in fully agreement that we need to provide sustainable, low/non-CO2 generated source of power, however, it seems that we in Suffolk are going to have to pay the cost of this dearly in our everyday lives. Why should we be targeted with both Sizewell C and the EA1N & EA2 cable routes? To me it would make more sense to scrap the building of Sizewell C in Suffolk, and instead, if these substations really do warrant to be situated on the Suffolk coastline, build the substations on the 'brownfield' land intended for Sizewell C: - Minimum damage to the AONB; - Infrastructure is already there; - Important Agricultural land is saved (land that as we enter Brexit, we are going to need to rely on more and more for production of meat/crops); - Minimal effect on tourism; - And sets a precedence for future Green-Energy projects that Designated Land & Greenfield sites are not an option when considering their location for building. Yours Sincerely Robert Brundle
Advice given
Dear Robert, Thank you for contacting the Planning Inspectorate about the application by East Anglia ONE North Limited for an Order granting development consent for the East Anglia North Offshore Windfarm. The application was submitted on 25 October 2019. The decision to accept the application was made on the 22 November 2019. The decision was published on the project webpage, here: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/Eastern/East-Anglia-ONE-North-Offshore-Windfarm/ The following documents have also been published on the project webpage: • The application documents; • Any Adequacy of Consultation Representations submitted by relevant local authorities; • The Planning Inspectorate’s Acceptance Checklist. In order to make comments about the merits of the Proposed Development to an appointed Examining Authority, you will need to register as an Interested Party by making a Relevant Representation at the appropriate time. You have until the 27 January 2020 to register as an Interested Party and can do so on the project website now: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/east-anglia-one-north-offshore-windfarm/?ipcsection=relreps For more information about how and when you can have your say, please see our Advice Note 8.2: How to register to participate in an Examination: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/ If you wish to have your say on East Anglia TWO and East Anglia ONE North you must register for each application separately. Kind regards