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ITV Long-standing critics still not convinced, as Sizewell C nuclear plant reaches third consultation

 

Concerns remain about the environmental impact of Sizewell C
Concerns remain about the environmental impact of Sizewell C Credit: ITV News Anglia.

An environmental charity says it is still not convinced enough will be done to protect wildlife if the Sizewell C nuclear plant goes ahead.

Energy giant EDF today launched the third and final public consultation into its plans for a third power station on the Suffolk coast.

It claims it will create 25,000 jobs and bring millions of pounds into the local economy.

But, despite two previous public consultations and a number of changes, EDF has yet to over its critics.

Among them is the RSPB which runs the Minsmere reserve just a stone’s throw from the proposed Sizewell C site.

Area manager Adam Rowlands said he was still not convinced enough thought had been given to the protection of wildlife.

  • Click to watch a report by ITV News Anglia’s Rob Setchell

“Minsmere is a very special and important place for wildlife, loved by the tens of thousands of people who visit the reserve each year from around the UK and abroad.

“After raising concerns about the potential impact EDF’s Sizewell C proposals could have on the reserve in two previous rounds of public consultation, we feel the time is right to ask EDF to demonstrate that they are taking our concerns seriously, by seeking a public commitment from EDF to protect Minsmere and to publish plans for how their proposals will do this.

“This is the final round of public consultation before EDF submit their proposals, and as such it is the last chance to ask them to keep Minsmere safe.”

– ADAM ROWLANDS, THE RSPB SUFFOLK AREA MANAGER
RSPB Minsmere lies a stone's throw from Sizewell A & B
RSPB Minsmere lies a stone’s throw from Sizewell A & B Credit: ITV News Anglia.

Sizewell is already home to two power stations – one which has been decommissioned and one still in use.

People living in nearby villages say a third plant would push local infrastructure over the edge.

Up to 1,500 lorries a day are expected to head to and from the construction site if it goes ahead, with nearly 2,500 workers to be housed locally.

EDF’s latest consultation has made changes to how it plans to get workers and materials in and out of SIzewell, including a bypass for Theberton village and a possible link-road to connect the site to the A12.

But campaigners – who have been opposing the proposals for many years – remain unconvinced.

Consultation events will take place across Suffolk over the next 12 weeks
Consultation events will take place across Suffolk over the next 12 weeks Credit: ITV News Anglia.

“EDF’s Stage 3 proposals show that the company hasn’t listened either to us, the county council or our MP about its accommodation strategy, and ignored the opportunity for dispersal and legacy housing.

“We are outraged at the creation of a new temporary town – with only very minor adjustments – for 2,400 workers at Eastbridge, which we believe will exacerbate the threats to Minsmere, a national treasure.

“With EDF in such a rush to get on with this project, and so desperate to save money by using the supply chain from Hinkley Point, it seems even less likely that the predicted benefits to East Suffolk will outweigh the costs and impacts.”

– ALISON DOWNES, CO CHAIR OF THEBERTON AND EASTBRIDGE ACTION ON SIZEWELL

EDF Energy told ITV News Anglia it believed it had listened to the feedback it had received previously and would take into account views given during this latest consultation.

“We’ve got a great opportunity here. Both of the options we’re putting forward would bypass Theberton – either a mini bypass or the new link road and that will take a substantial amount of traffic not only from Theberton and Eastbridge, and Middleton Moor, but also from Yoxford as well, so it’s a real win from our perspective.”

– JIM CRAWFORD, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR SIZEWELL C

Jim Crawford, project development director for Sizewell C, admitted there would be some impact on Minsmere but said EDF intended to help mitigate that.

The stage three consultation runs for 12 weeks until March 29.

Sizewell C timeline:

  • Talk of a third power station at Sizewell began more than 30 years ago
  • EDF launched its first public consultation back in November 2012
  • This third consultation will run for 12 weeks, until March 29th
  • A planning application could be submitted next year but EDF will then have to wait for approval from the planning inspectorate followed by the government
  • EDF hopes it can begin construction in 2022
  • That is likely to take around 10 years to complete

Reaction to Stage 3, 4 January 2019

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release, 4 January 2019

Campaigners slam EDF intransigence on accommodation proposals for Sizewell C&D, welcome principle of a link road, but concerned about volume of traffic.

[SUFFOLK] Campaigners in east Suffolk today expressed profound dismay that EDF’s accommodation proposals for Sizewell C&D remain substantially unchanged, with a campus for 2,400 workers at Eastbridge. EDF’s ‘Stage 3’ consultation documents, published today, do not reassure local campaigners about the impacts of worker accommodation and traffic on the environment and neighbouring communities, who are on the front line of the largest construction project the east of England will have ever seen.

Alison Downes, Co Chair of Theberton and Eastbridge Action on Sizewell (TEAGS) said “EDF’s Stage 3 proposals show that the company hasn’t listened either to us, the County Council or our MP [2] about its accommodation strategy, and ignored the opportunity for dispersal and legacy housing. We are outraged at the creation of a new temporary town – with only very minor adjustments – for 2,400 workers at Eastbridge, which we believe will exacerbate the threats to Minsmere, a national treasure. With EDF in such a rush to get on with this project, and so desperate to save money by using the supply chain from Hinkley Point, it seems even less likely that the predicted benefits to East Suffolk will outweigh the costs and impacts.” [3]

Today’s proposals contain revised transport plans: a so-called ‘Rail-led’ option, with 5 freight trains a day and a Theberton bypass, and a ‘Road-led’ option, with 2 trains and day and a link road from the A12 including the bypass of Theberton. The decision not to build a jetty, partly because EDF says it has not enough time to mitigate the environmental effects, brings a huge increase in the amount of material that has to be delivered to the site by other means.

Charles Macdowell of the B1122 Action Group said: “These transport proposals are really misnamed: both are essentially ‘Road-led’ with many hundreds of trucks a day, plus varying amounts of rail support. We have always argued for a proper link road, so the fact that one is at last an option is progress – although the route is far from ideal. The other option, of a token mini-bypass of just Theberton does nothing for the residents of Middleton or Yoxford.“

Paul Collins, from TEAGS and MLSG added: “EDF has said more about the environmental impacts and it will take some time to fully assess these documents. We remain extremely concerned about the potential impacts on Minsmere. Three fields near Eastbridge are earmarked for quarries and spoil heaps and EDF still hasn’t conducted vital studies, including on Health and Community Impacts. EDF claims that the project will bring £100 million a year into the local economy, but we believe there will be a significant detrimental loss of tourism income, currently worth £250 million each year.”

TEAGS, the B1122 Action Group and Minsmere Levels Stakeholder Group are running a series of alternative exhibitions during EDF’s Stage 3 consultations, to help raise awareness of how the Sizewell C proposals will affect nearby communities. Members of the public are warmly invited to visit our exhibition entitled “Sizewell Concerns”, [4] and encouraged to attend our Public Meeting at 10am on Saturday 23 February in Theberton Church before making their responses to EDF.

Contacts: Alison Downes (TEAGS), 07711 843884, info@stopsizewellc.org

Paul Collins (TEAGS, MLSG), 07503 283304, paul.f.collins@gmail.com

Charles Macdowell (B1122 Action Group), 07788 755300, c.n.macdowell@gmail.com

 

 

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] Opposition to the Eastbridge campus has been supported by local MP Dr. Therese Coffey. [4]  In 2017, Suffolk County Council commissioned Boyer and Cannon to look at other sites that offered more legacy and a reduced environmental impact. https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/assets/planning-waste-and-environment/major-infrastructure-projects/170711-FINAL-Report-Boyer-21.06.2017.pdf.  In Somerset, worker accommodation will comprise 510 immediately adjacent to the build site, the remaining 986 in Bridgwater, population c40,000, on a site that has been laid out and infrastructure installed so it can be used for new houses after the build, thereby offering a legacy.

 

[3] Suffolk County and District Councils’ response to EDF’s Stage 2 consultations, February 2017: https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Planning/Sizewell/SCC-and-SCDC-response-to-EDF-Energy-2-Feb-2017.pdf

 

[4] ‘Sizewell Concerns’ can be viewed at: (see also www.stopsizewellc.org/exhibition)

Leiston, Saturday 5 January, 11am – 5pm, Quaker Meeting Rooms, Waterloo Road

Theberton & Eastbridge, Monday 7 January 11am – 7pm, St Peter’s Church

Yoxford, Tuesday 8 January 11am – 5pm, Yoxford Cricket Pavilion

Darsham, Wednesday 9 January 2pm – 8pm, Darsham Village Hall

Saxmundham, Saturday 12 January, 10am – 4pm, St John’s Church

Middleton, Wednesday 16 January, 11am – 7pm, Holy Trinity Church

Southwold, Tuesday 17 January, 11am – 5pm, United Reformed Church Hall, High Street

Aldeburgh, Friday 18 January, 1pm – 5.45pm, Aldeburgh Church Hall

 

Campaigners announce a series of exhibitions highlighting concerns about Sizewell C

Read online at https://www.eadt.co.uk/business/opposition-to-edf-energy-plans-for-new-nuclear-station-in-suffolk-1-5800958

East Anglian Daily Times, 29 November 2019, by Jessica Hill

A trio of campaign groups are launching a series of exhibitions to highlight the drawbacks of building a new nuclear power station in Suffolk.

The TEAGS action group chairman Paul CollinsThe TEAGS action group chairman Paul Collins

At the same time as the energy giant EDF embarks on its third and final public consultation on their plans to build Sizewell C, Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAGS) B1122 Action Group and Minsmere Levels Stakeholder Group will launch their own series of shadow exhibitions. ‘Sizewell Concerns’, featuring videos and displays.

The chairman of the group, Paul Collins, says TEAGS is not completely opposed to the project, but wants to challenge EDF to lessen the impact on those who will be directly affected by their plans to build a new nuclear plant in East Suffolk.

“A recent survey of Theberton and Eastbridge parish residents has revealed increasing concerns about the impacts this development will bring, and a significant proportion of residents believe that the area – which is home to Minsmere Reserve – is too environmentally sensitive to host such a massive project,” he said.

“The addition of 4,000 vehicle movements each day to existing traffic on the B1122 will seriously impact the 700 residents and 30 listed buildings close to this road.”

Mr Collins describes as “breathtakingly naive” EDF’s claim that their settlement for 2,400 workers would have no impact on the local community.

He claims that £250m of annual tourism revenues to the area are at risk for each of the ten years of the project’s duration – “and probably many years after whilst the area recovers,” he added.

Mr Collins says that the concerns people have about Sizewell C vary depending on where they live. “In Yoxford, the main area of concern is the road traffic. In Leiston, it’s about the noise and light pollution you get with a large construction site.

“We are trying to impress upon people that the environmental impact will be very large.”

EDF Energy’s own 12-week consultation will include information on the associated development needed to enable construction, such as park and ride sites and various options for road and rail improvements.

‘Sizewell Concerns’ exhibition, which takes place between January 5 and 18, cam be viewed in Leiston, Theberton & Eastbridge, Yoxford, Darsham, Saxmundham, Middleton, Southwold and Aldeburgh, and the following month in Ipswich and Melton.

Mr Collins says some church halls have offered their premises for free, so the exhibitions are only costing around £500, which was raised from donations.

The dates and locations can be found at www.stopsizewellc.org/exhibition