14 May 2019
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Coronation Wood Screening Sizewell B Dry Fuel Store
TOGETHER AGAINST SIZEWELL C CLAIM EDF IS TREATING RESIDENTS OF SUFFOLK WITH CONTEMPT BY PREMATURELY PROCEEDING WITH PLANS TO EXPAND INTO AONB
Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) is critical of EDF’s planning application to East Suffolk Council to free more space on the site for the planned Sizewell C (SZC) development by moving a number of Sizewell B (SZB) buildings and car parks for outage and visitor management to other areas which would further impinge on the Suffolk Coast And Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Sizewell Marshes SSSI. These buildings are not critical to the operation of SZB, therefore the AONB and SSSI should not be sacrificed for development that could be located elsewhere. EDFE have not given any undertaking that these new structures will be removed from the AONB, if Sizewell C (SZC) does not go ahead and TASC believes that no pre-emptive development work should be allowed until – and if – planning consent for SZC is granted.
TASC’s Secretary, Joan Girling, said “This application is premature and should not be given consent by East Suffolk Council but should be considered by the national Planning Inspectorate when, and if, EDFE submits its application for the SZC Development Consent Order. TASC will therefore be calling on East Suffolk Council to reject these plans.
It would appear that EDFE have totally ignored responses to their consultation earlier this year in which they sought comments on their SZB plans. TASC consider that EDFE should supply copies of all the consultation responses to the Council so that the Council can be appraised of the concerns of Suffolk residents. EDFE seem to believe, that by owning so much land in the Leiston-cum-Sizewell area, that they can spread buildings, cars, lorries and anything they wish anywhere and everywhere in their land ownership to suit themselves. This does not constitute being a good neighbour and these plans prove that they are prepared to sacrifice precious community amenities, particularly the SSSI, totally ignoring others such as Leiston Town Council who rejected the plans when they were last discussed.
The plan will mean clear felling of all trees in historic Coronation Wood and the destruction of all the flora and fauna which inhabit that site. The 3 year project will introduce light noise and dust pollution to an area which is currently a green buffer zone that acts as a screen to hide the unsightly Sizewell Industrial complex. The loss of Coronation Wood will mean the existing rural qualities of the site will be replaced by the creep of industrialization further into the AONB. The plans show some landscaping but this would give an impression of managed neatness which is totally incompatible with the general nature of the AONB.
It is quite obvious that even with the relocation of the SZB buildings, the site allocated for SZC is not of adequate size. Until such time as EDFE have Planning Consent from the Secretary of State for SZC, any relocation of buildings further west of the existing complex of SZA and B is premature. If SZC does not receive Planning Consent, further areas of Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB will have been sacrificed and Coronation Wood destroyed unnecessarily. This is why TASC’s view is that this application should not be considered by the Local Planning Authority but should form part of the application for a Development Consent Order for SZC and considered by the Planning Inspectorate.
TASC believes that the 576 space Outage Car Park planned to be built in the AONB on the highly visible Pill Box Field, will result in road traffic to and from the car park impacting on public Bridleway 19 (Sandy Lane). This will put horses, riders and persons on foot or bike at an unacceptable risk. This site is, again, in open countryside and directly viewed from many sides. TASC also questions the assumption that this disruption is purely to accommodate the outage for SZB once every 18 months. If SZC goes ahead with its two reactors this car park could be used for both SZB and SZC outages once every 6 months. Based on an average 6 week outage this will mean over 72,000 vehicle movements per annum.”
TASC urges everyone concerned about this planning application to send their responses by the 23rd May 2019 deadline, whether by email or letter, to East Suffolk Planning Dept.
The Application, no. DC/19/1637, can be found on East Suffolk Web Site https://publicaccess.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/online-applications/
