Representation by Havant Friends of the Earth (Havant Friends of the Earth)
- Date submitted
- 16 February 2020
- Submitted by
- Non-statutory organisations
Havant Friends of the Earth support the application, with reservations. In Support: With other interconnectors, Aquind will support the transition to more renewable sources of energy in the UK, by providing back up when these sources e.g. solar and wind, are in low production. It will provide greater energy security. While we re not happy that electricity from France is highly dependent on nuclear generation, another interconnector will reduce the pressure for the UK to build more nuclear power stations to back up supplies. Reservations: It is important that any work adjacent to Langstone Harbour and Farlington Playing Fields should take place between April and September so as to minimise disturbance to brent geese and waders. We have concerns about the environmental impact of the convertor station location and its approaches through Denmead. Proposals to use horizontal directional drilling under Denmead meadows and Kings Pond will be superficially less damaging to the site, but we note that there are risks to the underlying Aquifer Source Protection Zone which may impact on public water supplies at Bedhampton Springs. Has there been sufficient consultation with Portsmouth Water? Although no endangered species of wildlife have been noted on the site, it is adjacent to patches of ancient woodland and during the 2 year construction period there will be great noise and disturbance which will have an impact on whatever wildlife is there. Planting of trees, hedges and wildflowers, in mitigation and to screen the convertor station is to be welcomed. But it is important that the removal of existing trees and hedgerows should be kept to a minimum. It is appreciated that there will not be much human disturbance on the site, once the convertor station is operational but it is important that noise levels from its operation should be kept to the minimum with the maximum use of accoustic barriers. The landfall site at Eastney and route through Portsmouth and beyond will cause great disruption to people and traffic, even if this is only temporary. Of the many landfall sites originally considered, was there not a less disruptive option? IFA2 has the advantage of a less disruptive landfall site and less environmentally damaging location for its convertor station on a brownfield/airfield site. Would Aquind not be able to follow the same route?