09 November 2016, by Andrew Hirst. Read on EADT site

EDF Energy said stage two of its consultation on Sizewell C will begin on Wednesday, November 23, when people will be invited to have their say on the plans.

The long-awaited consultation, which comes four years after stage one, will cover options for the construction of the power station as well as associated development including an accommodation campus and transport improvements.

Councils and politicians have welcomed the announcement in recognition of the economic benefits of the £16 billion project, which is expected to provide power for five million homes, creating 5,500 jobs during construction and sustaining 900 when operational.

But after EDF’s last consultation was criticised for lacking detail and presenting unpopular options, the company has been urged to take a different approach.

The Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAG) is calling on EDF to consider “creative solutions” to provide a “lasting legacy”. Members of the four villages bypass campaign group, which wants EDF to contribute towards an alternative A12 route, also said they were seeking a “long-term legacy”.

The consultation, which runs until February 3, will feature more than 20 public exhibitions across east Suffolk. It has faced delays due to uncertainties over Sizewell C’s sister project, Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which only received Government backing in September.

The Christmas timing of the consultation, however, has faced criticism. Roy Dowding, chairman of the B1122 Action Group, said EDF was “heavily criticised” for holding stage one of the consultation over the festive period, but “they do not care”.

Nigel Smith, chairman of Middleton-cum-Fordley Parish Council, said EDF’s consultation so far had been “a complete joke”, which had failed to consider local views. Together Against Sizewell C (TASC), a campaign group which formed in opposition to the new power station, said the timing was “very unfortunate”.

EDF said it aspired to the “highest standards of public consultation” and all its public exhibitions ran between November 23 and December 15, with extra time built in to account for the Christmas period. It added that stage one of its consultation engaged with more than 4,000 people at 100-plus events.

The company said feedback from the first consultation had been used to develop “preferred positions” on some of the key elements of the proposals, while others remain as options.

TASC, said it was keen to see the progress made. “The many areas of concern, which were flagged up at the woefully inadequate first stage consultation must be seen to be addressed by EDF,” said TASC member Joan Girling. She said TASC wanted the consultation to include the impact on the local Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Simon Amstutz, AONB manager, said it expected the points raised in stage one would be addressed by EDF.

“We expect to see proposals on how EDF will protect the vital tourism economy on the Suffolk coast that supports many businesses and jobs,” he added.

TEAG is also calling on EDF to provide reassurances that “adequate measures will be put in place to preserve the special qualities of this area” and its tourism industry.

Guy McGregor, chairman of Sizewell C Joint Local Authorities Group, said the announcement was “good news” after years of uncertainty.

“Finally, the people most affected by the proposed Sizewell C development will have the opportunity to study and comment on how EDF will manage this massive construction project and how they have responded to the views received from stage one of their consultation,” he added.

Leiston Parish Council said it welcomed the opportunity to take part in the consultation.

Geoff Holdcroft, chairman of Suffolk Coastal District Council’s Sizewell C task group, said: “The construction and operation of this nuclear power station will bring a massive boost to the economy of east Suffolk, but we need to make sure we get it right for our local communities.”

Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey said it was “great news” the consultation had been announced.

“It is important that the opinion of residents is conveyed to EDF and that we maximise the opportunity to improve local infrastructure,” she added.

Jim Crawford, Sizewell C project development director, said: “We have introduced this further stage of formal public consultation to give the public an opportunity to see how our plans have developed and to help us shape them further before a final stage of consultation.

“We understand it has been some time since we published our initial proposals for feedback, so I would like to encourage people to look through the latest plans for Sizewell C, to visit one of the exhibitions and to take the opportunity to have their say in the development of the project.”

Transport proposals have faced strong opposition

Transport options outlined in stage one of EDF’s Sizewell C consultation provoked some of the greatest opposition among potentially affected communities.

The company has been considering a variety of options to get workers and materials to the construction site via rail, sea and road, which could involve the creation of two park and ride facilities at short-listed locations.

People living near the B1122, which EDF identified as its preferred road route to the site, have raised concerns with its suitability.

Roy Dowding, chairman of the B1122 Action Group, said recent “chaos” along the road showed it was “not fit for the purpose of regular, intense heavy road traffic” and called for a new direct route leaving the A12 from further south.

The Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell also said the B1122 was unsuitable and criticised the lack of information on the possible use of rail and sea for deliveries.

Members of the four villages bypass campaign group, who want EDF to contribute towards a new A12 route avoiding Marlesford, Little Glemham, Stratford St Andrew and Farnham, say recent travel problems in the area have only reinforced their views.

Debbi Tayler, of the group, said a series of “abnormal loads”, which passed through the villages transporting materials towards the coast for offshore wind farms, showed the road could not cope with large construction vehicles.

“It’s as bad as it has ever been and will only get worse,” she said.

“It’s totally unacceptable.”

Mrs Tayler says other options raised in discussions with EDF, including widening the road at Farnham and creating a two village bypass, were also unsuitable. She has called for the company to provide more information from its traffic surveys.

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Dan Poulter raised the importance of the bypass in Parliament yesterday.

He said: “Historically we have seen a reluctance from EDF to engage with the need for significant improvements to both road and rail infrastructure in east Suffolk, and much more needs to be done to identify priorities for EDF’s contribution to important road improvements on the A12.”

EDF has presented several options for two park and ride facilities near the A12 to ferry workers to and from the construction site from the north and south. Earlier this week, the company confirmed that its plans for a site on the edge of Wickham Market and Hacheston would no longer be a “lorry park”, though the park and ride proposals still stood. The preferred location for the northern park and ride is Darsham. Both options have provoked opposition.

Leonora Van Gils, an interfaith minister whose Darsham home overlooks a site earmarked for a park and ride, said uncertainty over the decision had left her “a prisoner in my own home”, which she could not sell because of the proposals.

Accommodation campus to house 3,000 workers

Campaigners have called on EDF to take an “imaginative approach” to accommodate workers involved in the construction of Sizewell C.

The company has previously said its preferred option for an “accommodation campus”, which would house around 3,000 workers, was area between Leiston, Theberton and Eastbridge.

“TEAGS continues to call on EDF to take a more imaginative approach, and split the accommodation across multiple urban sites that can offer the necessary infrastructure and would benefit from the investment, and where affordable housing could be a long-term legacy,” the group said. “This would be closer to the plan for Hinkley Point C, and would also protect the special nature of this rural area, which attracts many visitors for the peace, the wildlife and the coast.”

There have been previous calls for the accommodation to become “legacy housing” to help solve the region’s shortage of new homes, particularly social housing.

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT by Theberton & Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAGS), B1122 Action Group and Minsmere Levels Stakeholder Group [1]

For Immediate Release, 9 November 2016

Contacts: Su Swallow, 01728 830981,  Alison Downes, 07711 843884, Roy Dowding, 07729013310, 

After a four year gap, EDF to rush public consultations on Sizewell C over the Christmas period

Campaigners have pressed EDF since 2012 for creative solutions that would bring a positive legacy to the region and alleviate the worst impacts of Sizewell C construction on people and the environment.  

[SUFFOLK] Campaigners in east Suffolk today responded with dismay to news that, after a delay of almost four years, EDF plans to rush through its “Stage 2” public consultations on Sizewell C over the Christmas period. [2] Representing local residents, campaigners have pressed EDF and elected representatives since 2013 for commitments that negative impacts of worker accommodation and construction traffic on frontline communities and the environment will be genuinely addressed.

Su Swallow, Co Chair of Theberton & Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell [TEAGS] said: “Ever since Stage 1 consultations, we and other community representatives have been urging EDF to look imaginatively at ways to enhance Sizewell C’s legacy to the region, whilst reducing the cumulative and disproportionate impacts on people and our unique environment of what is expected to be a decade-long period of chaos. This will be the biggest construction project the East of England has ever seen, and EDF cannot be allowed to ride roughshod over the communities in its path.”

EDF promised an additional consultation stage in response to feedback from communities looking for more detailed plans [3]. Of particular interest will be how EDF addresses concerns relating to:

• Environment: construction will impact the coastline and groundwater, as well as a wide range of birds and other animals, raising threats to two Sites of Special Scientific Interest and the nationally treasured Minsmere Reserve, and damage the unique qualities that make this part of Suffolk so special – peace, tranquility and dark night skies – driving visitors away. Environmental impacts will be exacerbated by a “new town” for up to 3,000 construction workers (see below).
• Accommodation: EDF intends to build a new town for 3,000 workers – including multi-storey residences, car parks and leisure facilities – close to Minsmere and next to Eastbridge, a hamlet of 50 people. Yet at Hinkley Point, workers will be split across 3 sites mostly in urban settings. [4]
• Transport: EDF is relying on the B1122, a country road, to carry 600 lorries a day and provide the main emergency access and evacuation route. A Suffolk County Council survey in July 2016 revealed that traffic on the B1122 was “the number one” concern for the community, with residents feeling that EDF had not yet provided any satisfactory solutions. [5]

Alison Downes, Co Chair of TEAGS added: “Despite widespread criticism of EDF for holding Stage 1 consultations over the Christmas period in 2012, [6] history is being repeated, which makes us once again question EDF’s sincerity in its desire to be a “good neighbour”, since feedback seems to fall on deaf ears. EDF has had years to put these proposals together, and yet local people are expected to digest lengthy and complex information and make a meaningful response in less than 10 weeks. Given the long gap since Stage 1 we are at a loss to understand the rush.”

Notes

[1] Theberton & Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell was formed in 2013 to represent the concerns of its residents about EDF’s accommodation and transport plans. It has the full support of the Parish Council. www.stopsizewellc.org. The B1122 Action Group was formed in 2013 to press EDF for a dedicated road from the A12 to the Sizewell C construction site. http://sizewellrelief.weebly.com. The Minsmere Levels Stakeholder Group monitors the management of the water catchment area of the Minsmere River, Leiston Beck and Leiston Drain, its subsequent discharge through the Minsmere Sluice to the sea, as well as the state of coastal erosion across the Minsmere Haven area. http://minsmerelevelsstakeholdersgroup.onesuffolk.net

[2] EDF’s “Stage 2” consultation period will last from 23 November 2016 to 3 February 2017.

[3] http://sizewell.edfenergyconsultation.info/szc-proposals/stage-2/

[4] In Somerset, worker accommodation will comprise 500 immediately adjacent to the build site, the remaining 1,000 on two sites in Bridgwater, population 50,000, with the potential for some legacy student accommodation. In Suffolk, up to 3,000 workers will be housed on green fields around 2-3 miles from the build site, and a very long way from suitable infrastructure and entertainment for workers off-shift.

[5] County Councillor Guy McGregor said: “We needed to hear what concerns local people have about the development. This report has given voice to such concerns and EDF need to listen and act upon this….. We will use this information to ask EDF Energy to take direct measures to address the widespread worries of the local community.” http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/traffic_analysis_raises_serious_concerns_over_sizewell_c_1_4618024

[6] EDF’s Stage 1 consultations took place from 21 November 2012 to 6 February 2013.

16 September 2016 by Richard Cornwell

Read online – http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/communities_on_alert_for_start_of_sizewell_consultation_1_4698782. This article also appeared in the Ipswich Star.

Communities across east Suffolk are today waiting eagerly and anxiously to find out more details about Sizewell C.

EDF Energy officials in Suffolk said the HPC decision was “good news for Sizewell C”, but could not yet give a date when the next consultation will start.

It is understood officials from the company are talking with Suffolk Coastal District Council and Suffolk County Council over the format of the consultation, length and start date.

A spokeswoman said: “As we have said previously EDF will continue to be the lead partner in the Sizewell C Project. We look forward to consulting stakeholders and local communities in Suffolk on our developing proposals for Sizewell C.”

Chinese company CGN has agreed to fund 20% of the development costs of Sizewell C, but its further involvement in the project has not yet been made public.

CGN is due to take a 66.5% share of the new power station at Bradwell, due to be the flagship for Chinese investment, design and technology. It is not yet known how the Government’s new financial and ownership controls could affect the project.

Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAGS) is hoping there will be as long as possible to consider the proposals for Sizewell C.

Alison Downes of TEAGS said: “Nearly four years after the first consultation stage here in Suffolk on Sizewell C, all evidence suggests that EDF is doggedly sticking to unacceptable plans that will have a devastating impact on our tiny parish – including a multi-storey campus for 3,000 construction workers beside a hamlet of 100 people, along one of the main routes into RSPB Minsmere, and a wildly unrealistic expectation that the B1122, a country road through Theberton, can cope with all construction and emergency traffic.”

TEAGS has expressed support for local Somerset residents.

“We can imagine how residents next to Hinkley C must be feeling, where local campaigners fought valiantly to change aspects of EDF’s construction proposals but to little avail,” said Su Swallow of TEAGS.

“Having visited Hinkley, we know that their experience of negotiating with EDF matches our own thus far in seeking to persuade EDF to amend it proposals – the company appears deaf to what we have to say. The only straw of comfort is the Government’s intention to take a ‘special share’ in future reactors, and we will do all in our power to engage the Government in our battle to stop EDF trampling our communities in east Suffolk.”

Sizewell C is expected to bring a £100m a year boost to the Suffolk economy and the HPC decision was welcomed in the county.

Graham Kill, chairman of the Institute of Directors Suffolk branch, said: “Whilst it has been a more difficult journey than hoped to get Hinkley Point approved, we hope that this is a positive step in the right direction for Sizewell C.

“Further developments at Sizewell will increase the opportunity for jobs in the area and therefore help local businesses. Hopefully the issues with Hinkley Point are behind us and progress on Sizewell C can be made without similar stumbling blocks.”

The new legal framework for future foreign investment in Britain’s critical infrastructure will mean the Government will be able to prevent the sale of EDF’s controlling stake prior to the completion of construction, without the prior notification and agreement of ministers.

This agreement will be confirmed in an exchange of letters between the Government and EDF.

Existing legal powers, and the new legal framework, will mean that the Government is able to intervene in the sale of EDF’s stake once Hinkley is operational.

After Hinkley, the British Government will take a “special share” in all future nuclear new build projects – including both Sizewell C and Bradwell. This will ensure that significant stakes cannot be sold without the Government’s knowledge or consent.