Representation by John Richmond
- Date submitted
- 17 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am supportive in principle of wind energy and renewable energy in general. I am however objecting to the current proposals to develop this wind farm, along with its sister project, for the way it is built and the onland infrastructure required. the landfall, infrastructure and build of the wind farm all take place within the narrow Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB. This is a fragile piece of coast subject to climate change as well as 7 NSIPs all planned for this area. Many habitats will be destroyed. These coastal heathlands are globally significant and contain species that risk being lost for ever. During this time the Suffolk coast path and England Coast path will be inaccessible. the cliffs at Thorpeness are crumbling and fragile. The village is a popular tourist point in the AONB but is poorly accessed by two B roads unsuitable for HGV traffic. Building a port defies belief. From this point you can see boats emerging from Felixstowe and Harwich. Both local deep ports. Felixstowe is the end point of the A14 and a freight rail link. The wind farm components should sail from there. The HGVs will pass along the largely single carriageway A12 through four nearby villages already choking from NO2 and with only the last two facing chance of bypass, then only following the start of Sizewell C. The government has recently said it will not provide funding for a bypass round all four villages. The residents here are already suffering and being ignored. Not good enough The A1094 to Aldeburgh tales traffic into the west of residential Aldeburgh and is the main road in to this town that is already too busy with tourist traffic.(Redacted) which will get worse with increased pollution levels. The road is not wide enough for hgvs and they will have to navigate a tight roundabout when in Aldeburgh. This applies to the B1353 to Leiston before it turns at Aldringham to Thorpeness. Plans to build the substations in Friston are totally unacceptable. This destroys the village and affects the inhabitants lives are affected forever. The Glover report into National Lanscapes found that not only do AONBs need protection against this ongoing urbanisation but so do their adjacent areas. This applies at Friston The cable trench linking Friston to Thorpeness cuts a 65m wide swathe through the AONB and will leave a permanent scar on the landscape as has happened at Bawdsey onwards where we see how this will look. It’s route dissects the AONB and disrupts Aldringham and Knodishall affecting residents and farmers. The power will be taken by yet another set of pylons alongside sizewell Bs. A third may come with Sizewell C. More scars on the land. It’s evident better solutions are possible but SPR are not listening. An overall strategy is needed as this is not a unique situation. This project needs pausing while the government seeks a better solution for the AONB.