Why was SASES formed?
The SASES Action Group (Substation Action | Save East Suffolk) began in July 2018, formed by a group of local residents to challenge Scottish Powers damaging proposals to site large electrical substations at Friston.
Headed by Michael Mahony, SASES represents local residents & businesses. SASES also links to Friston Parish council in order to provide ongoing support dealing with energy proposals.
Since the formation of SASES, the full scale of the devastation which these projects could bring has become apparent, as has the lack of strategic planning and investment by National Grid and Ofgem. To make matters worse we have learnt that if Scottish Powers’ projects are consented, a further five major offshore projects will, or are highly likely to attempt to connect at Friston. This will involve further cable routes being carved across our AONB and countryside.
Additional projects bring more onshore industrial build, with expansion of the proposed National Grid connection hub at Friston.
SASES - Our Mission
SASES stands for ‘Substation Action Save East Suffolk’, we are an action group representing communities in east Suffolk and on the Suffolk coast. Whilst we all need electricity our village communities and countryside should not suffer due to unsustainable and damaging so called ‘green or renewable’ energy development.
We are fighting poor decisions that impact on communities and residents in east Suffolk, together we must hold energy companies and government energy policy to account.
We will expose the poor consultation and decision making of Scottish Power Renewables (Iberdrola) & National Grid.
We will fight for communities and the sanctity of village life.
We will stop industrialisation of the countryside, a precedent cannot be set allowing National Grid, Scottish Power or other energy companies to build substations next to villages, or towns, in unsuitable rural locations. The government needs to agree designated locations for this kind of energy infrastructure.
We will push for joined up thinking and sense on energy policy, we will Save East Suffolk!
We stand together with a united voice; residents in east Suffolk and along the Suffolk coast will not allow a damaging precedent to be set!
We will fight to ensure that onshore development of substations and associated grid infrastructure is not located on greenfield sites along the Suffolk coast when there is suitable land at brownfield and pre-industrialised sites elsewhere.
An ‘Offshore Ring Main’, with onshore connection at a hub along the Thames estuary closer to London, is the only acceptable solution to ensure the Suffolk Coast is not a victim of UKs’ ‘Net zero’ future.
Energy companies must step up: National Grid, EDF (Sizewell), Scottish Power & SSE must acknowledge ‘cumulative impact’ and find acceptable solutions that causes less damage to the sensitive and protected landscapes that make up our Suffolk Coast AONB.
TOGETHER WE DEMAND SCRUTINY OF NATIONAL GRID’S DAMAGING CONNECTION PROPOSALS THAT IGNORE THE SUFFOLK COAST & HEATHS AONB AND SUFFOLK’S COMMUNITIES, TOURISM INDUSTRY AND BUSINESSES
#SuffolkDeservesBetter
Substation Action Save East Suffolk LTD
It’s around 7 years since the campaign started and the breadth and scope of the issues has continually increased. The resources required to challenge the growing tide of proposals have increased commensurately.
At the beginning of 2022 SASES committee voted to register SASES as a limited company. This will ensure the campaign which has now endured around 7 years of energy chaos will be best placed to deal with future developments.
Substation Action Save East Suffolk Limited, is registered in England and Wales.
Company number: 13790115 – Registered Office SASES LTD, Moor Farm, Nr Friston, Saxmundham IP17 1NH