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‘Outraged’ Sizewell activists demand further changes in final consultation

PUBLISHED: 12:13 05 January 2019 | UPDATED: 16:32 05 January 2019

Officials from the Therberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAGS), B1122 Action Group and Minsmere Levels Stakeholder Group at the Eels Foot Inn in Eastbridge Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

Campaigners have been left furious over the latest plans for a new nuclear power plant on the Suffolk coast – and say EDF Energy is still not listening to residents’ concerns.

Activists speak out over latest Sizewell C Consultation

The latest plans for another nuclear power plant on the Suffolk coast have enraged activists, arguing plans for a campus for 2,400 workers are “substantially unchanged” from previous designs.The proposed twin-reactor, Sizewell C, is expected to cause chaos on country lanes, impact the local economy and damage the wildlife on the neighbouring Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ANOB) in Mimsmere as up to 1500 lorries pass through rural Suffolk on their way to the regions largest-ever construction site.

The construction of the Sizewell C twin-reactor is expected to cause widespread disruption with concern over hundreds of trucks using unsuitable roads, the impact on the local economy and worries over the effect on RSPB Minsmere.

A main concern is the use of land near Eastbridge for a campus for 2,400 workers which campaigners say are “substantially unchanged” from early designs.

What problems do residents have with the plans?

Paul Collins, Charles Macdowell and Alison Downes from Therberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAGS) on the day of the latest Sizewell C consultations Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

Alison Downes, co-chairman of Theberton and Eastbridge Action Group on Sizewell (TEAGS), was furious at the lack of consideration being taken of the villages as EDF clamours to start construction.

“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,” she said.

“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.”

Starting today both the energy giant and the grassroots resistance hit the campaign trail with their roadshows, talking to residents in affected villages about the good and the bad of the billion-pound investment.

Sizewell A and B – Sizewell C would be built to the immediate north Picture MIKE PAGE

The first stop is in Leiston, 11am-5pm on January 5.

Minsmere is one of Suffolk’s most beautiful AONB and special area of conservation and protection.

Paul Collins, TEAGS co-chairman and Minsmere Levels Stakeholder Group co-secretary, accepted EDF expanded their environmental impacts and is still assessing the documents.

Mr Collins added: “We remain extremely concerned about the potential impacts on Minsmere.

A CGI image showing how traffic would cross the Sizewell Marches SSSI on a causeway Picture: EDF ENERGY

“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 £100m a year into the local economy, but we believe there will be a significant detrimental loss of tourism income, currently worth £250m each year.”

The east Suffolk road network had already been flagged as a cause of major concern too, with the B1122 to Sizewell a road deemed not fit for the purposes EDF wished to use it for.

An alternative – a bypass of Theberton – will now we built to spare one village of hundreds of daily lorry journeys.

A computer-generated image of how the Sizewell complex will look after construction of Sizewell C Picture: EDF ENERGY

But neighbouring towns like Yoxford – with a particularly vulnerable junction where the A1120 and A12 meet – will still be on routes to the Sizewell construction site and potential tailbacks.

Charles Macdowell, leader of the B1122 Action Group, said: “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.“

Unhappy with the options EDF have set out, Middleton parish councillor Roy Dowding described the consultations as “choosing the least worst option”.

EDF Energy CEO Simone Rossi shows representatives of Leiston Town Council a model of the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station Picture: TONY PICK PHOTOGRAPHY/EDF ENERGY

What have EDF said?

Announcing their latest plans this morning, EDF claim they have made significant changes from previous proposals.

The guaranteed bypasses of Theberton, Stratford St Andrew and Farnham may still be added to with a further link road to avoid Middleton Moor.

Plans to build a jetty for regular deliveries by sea have been scrapped to preserve the Minsmere AONB.

Sizewell A and Sizewell B nuclear power plants – EDF hopes to have Sizewell C sitting alongside Picture: SU ANDERSON

And reductions to the square-acre size and height of buildings on the workforce campus will protect the views and privacy of nearby residents.

Jim Crawford, Sizewell C project development director, said: “We want to build more than a power station, we can see from Hinkley Point C that nuclear new build will be a force for good and deliver social, environmental and economic benefits in Suffolk and across the East of England.

“We encourage people to come along to one of our exhibitions or to pick up a copy of the consultation document at their local library or our office in Leiston.

“It is important to us that people share their views on the latest proposals for Sizewell C and help shape the plans.”

The last changes will be made to EDF’s plans for Sizewell C before its submission to planning authorities.

EDF have been approached for a response to these concerns.

What changes have been made to the workers’ campus coming to Eastbridge?

The Eastbridge campus proposal has undergone minor changes since the last consultation, with not buildings over five storeys and greater landscaping to make the complex more in-keeping with the countryside.

But the lack of ‘future-proofing’ by EDF to give the building a use after the power plant is built had come under criticism, with TEAGS co-chairman Alison Downes describing the development as “a temporary town”.

EDF have said that their latest proposals goes further than any previous designs to accommodate the local community.

The energy company is proposing establishing a housing fund to enable local authorities to take early measures to mitigate against potential impacts of Sizewell C on the local housing market.

By putting the campus in Eastbridge they also hope to contain traffic, reducing the impact of construction on local roads.

Where will I be able to see the latest plans?

EDF will be taking their proposal around Suffolk for comments from the public.

Travelling to each town with them will be the activist groups presenting ‘Sizewell Concerns’ – a counter-demonstration detailing what they want to see changed before construction begins.

The two can be found at:

Leiston, Saturday, January 5, 11am – 5pm

Theberton & Eastbridge, Monday, January 7, 11am – 7pm

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

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

Saxmundham, Saturday, January 12, 10am – 4pm

Middleton, Wednesday, January 16, 11am – 7pm

Southwold, Tuesday, January 17, 11am – 5pm

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

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

January 4, 2019 Alison Downes

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 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

Last updated Fri 4 Jan 2019

Watch online at https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2019-01-04/long-standing-critics-still-not-convinced-as-sizewell-c-nuclear-plant-reaches-third-consultation/

Reaction to Stage 3, 4 January 2019

January 4, 2019 Alison Downes

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