Parish and town councils are set to get free independent help to formulate their responses to plans for a new twin reactor nuclear power station on Suffolk’s coast.
Dozens of leaders from parish, district and county councils across East Suffolk met for the Sizewell C community forum in Stratford St Andrew to discuss the latest proposals for the proposed power station with the EDF Energy project team.
The meeting follows the final public exhibition which was held earlier this week in Trimley St Martin – the formal consultation period continues until March 29.
More than 4,000 people have visited one of the 14 exhibitions since the 12-week Stage 3 consultation started.
The community forum heard from Sizewell C project development director Jim Crawford about changes to the proposals since Stage 2 consultation covering key areas such as transport and environmental mitigation.
Mr Crawford told parish leaders that EDF is now consulting on two alternative strategies to support freight movement:
? Rail-led – direct access to the main site for five trains a day using the Green rail route and a road bypass of Theberton or
? Road-led – a new Sizewell link road from the A12 to the B1122 and a freight management facility to the east of Ipswich, along with two train a day to Sizewell Halt or a new rail siding throughout construction.
EDF says the new Sizewell link road would reduce traffic on the B1122 by 90% at peak construction in Middleton Moor and Theberton.
The meeting also heard why a jetty was no longer proposed for environmental reasons.
Investigations have found that a jetty capable of receiving and handling the bulk of the construction material (i.e. a marine led strategy) would be a very large structure extending 800 metres offshore and would require in the order of 1,200 piles.
The drilling of the piles over the 12-month construction period would cause sustained noise and vibration impacts likely to have significant effects on marine mammals and fish.
Additionally, as the jetty would need to be in place for 8 to 10 years it would act as a groyne – causing sediment build up and potential for erosion either side.
Parish councils asked how they could engage more in the planning process.
Carly Vince, EDF Energy chief planning officer, said: “EDF Energy has provided funding to Planning Aid England to provide bespoke, independent and free guidance and advice to local parish and town councils during the consultation.”
Brian Stewart, Community Forum chairman, said the feedback received from this round of consultation would be shared at the next forum in late summer.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here