SASES - SUFFOLK COAST ENERGY NEWS

SASES appeal granted
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SASES Granted Permission To Appeal

COURT OF APPEAL GRANTS SASES PERMISSION TO APPEAL SASES believes Scottish Power & National Grids EA1N & EA2 wind farm developments represent a dangerous local flood risk and fail to deal with many issues of cumulative impact.

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Lionlink interconnector logo
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Eurolink is Lionlink Interconnector

UK Government announces ‘Lionlink’ interconnector …It’s Eurolink rebranded LIONLINK/EUROLINK ANNOUNCEMENT, IT’S NOT NEW NEWS The latest Secretary of State responsible for energy at the new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Grant Shapps, announced LionLink

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National Grid - Convertor Station
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November Consultations For Sealink & Eurolink

November 2022 – Consultations for Sealink & Eurolink National Grid subsidiaries ‘NGET’ & ‘NGV’ launch public consultations for Sealink & Eurolink National Grid has begun public consultations on two new energy link projects called Sealink and Eurolink.

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Suffolk Under Threat - Zero Gravity Films
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Mini documentary film ‘Suffolk Under Threat’

‘Suffolk Under Threat’ film explores energy developments threat to the Suffolk coast https://vimeo.com/675875579 Documentary filmmakers ZeroGravity films visited the Suffolk coast and were shocked to learn about plans for multiple energy projects. ZeroGravity produced this short film

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SASES BEIS Submissions January 2022

SASES Responses To BEIS Request For Further Information and Comment – Flooding, Landscape & Ecology ‘Badgers’ FURTHER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE REQUEST SASES HAS PROVIDED SUBMISSIONS ON EA1N & EA2 PROPOSALS  29TH JANUARY 2022  SASES has

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SASES Brief Friston On NGV Nautilus Proposals

SASES Brief Friston villagers on National Grid Ventures NGV Nautilus Proposal VILLAGERS IN FRISTON HAVE VOICED DISMAY AT NATIONAL GRIDS’ NGV NAUTILUS PROPOSALS 28th September 2021  SASES HEAR VILLAGE ANGER & DISMAY AT NATIONAL GRIDS PRESUMPTUOUS NAUTILUS

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SPR EA1 cable landing at Bawdsey
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Suffolk Energy Connection Pathfinder Urgently Needed

SPR EA1 cable landing Bawdsey: John Fielding 2018 suffolk ‘energy connection pathfinder’ urgently needed BEIS MINISTER MUST ACT TO SAVE SUFFOLK COAST & AONB FROM UNNECESSARY ENERGY DAMAGE 27th September 2021  SUFFOLK ACTION GROUPs – GOVERNMENT MINISTER

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Grid substation fire Sellindge Kent 2021

Huge fire at Sellindge substation in Kent. UK French electricty cable knocked out for up to 6 months National Grids Sellindge convertor station fire 16th September 2021 UP TO 12 FIRE ENGINES WERE ONSITE AS THE FIRE

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STOP Scottish Powers - Dangerous plans
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2021 SASES poster campaign and video

new poster campaign and video STOP Scottish Power & National Grid SASES CAMPAIGN LAUNCH – 15TH SEPTEMBER 2021 NEW POSTERS, BANNERS AND VIDEO RELEASED SASES will launch an autumn blitz of publicity featuring new posters, banners and

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SASES NEWS 10th September 2023
BEIS & energy developers visit the Suffolk coast - Officials from BEIS, NGESO Onshore Network Transmission Review (OTNR) Team, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), Ofgem and Renewables UK visited Suffolk on 9th September.

SASES NEWS 28th September 2021
NGV Nautilus - SASES briefs Friston villagers prior to National Grid Ventures Nautilus consultation
villagers are horrified with National Grid & NGV who are pre-empting planning consent at Grove Wood.

SASES NEWS 27th September 2021
SASES & SEAS call for urgent action from Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng at BEIS - Suffolk needs less damaging solutions for connection of proposed energy projects. The government must act to protect the Suffolk coast AONB, countryside and our communities...

SASES NEWS 21st May 2021
Two valued local councillors for Aldeburgh and Leiston wards have resigned, Jocelyn Bond in her resignation letter cited she was no longer able to continue due to East Suffolk Councils 'extremely detrimental' energy aspirations ......

SASES NEWS 8th April 2021
SASES & SEAS campaigns write to Planning Inspectorate to object to extensions to SPRs EA1N & EA2 DCO Examinations. Campaigners say the cross-over with Sizewell C DCO Examinations is an unbearable burden......

SASES has been forwarded the letter sent to to Kwasi Kwarteng the new Secretary of State at BEIS by 45 Suffolk parish councils. The parish councils have voiced their concerns about 'contentious energy proposals' on the Suffolk Coast and have provided an open invitation for Kwasi Kwarteng to come visit and see the issues here in Suffolk...

SASES has been forwarded a letter sent to East Suffolk Council on behalf of local town and parish councils expressing disappointment and concern at the district councils unexpected change in position on Scottish Powers EA1N & EA2 wind farm proposals....

Norfolk MPs have joined to lobby Kwasi Kwarteng, Energy Minister at BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) on the issues around offshore wind farms and how they connect to the onshore grid..& propose need for an 'offshore ring main' or alternatives...

SASES are aware of the recent EADT article and the East Suffolk Council cabinet meeting which suggest the council is moving to a neutral position on Scottish Powers EA1N & EA2 DCO proposals, Friston village and residents understandably feel they have been left high and dry by the district council....

Wildlife in lockdown - The local badger set at Grove Wood shows how wildlife is thriving. The badger set in 'the pit' is on the part of the site Scottish Power propose to build massive substations at Grove Wood. The community is deeply concerned ....

COVID Virus - The Planning Inspectorate has posted an update with advice for those planning to attend the Preliminary Meeting and Hearings for EA1N & EA2 at Snape Maltings ....

National Grid - Two further massive electricity projects proposed for Sizewell/Leiston/Friston area - SASES has learnt of further shocking electricity grid proposals that could further impact on the communities under-siege in and around the Sizewell area. Friston residents say enough is enough...

MORE FAILURE! ...Rynd Smith Lead Member of the Panel of Examining Inspectors has announced Scottish Power failed to advertise/promote the fixed date of the commencement of Hearings for DCOs EA1N & EA2 - Mr Smith confirmed that SPR failed to meet the statutory 21 day advance notice period...

East Suffolk MP Therese Coffey and a delegation from the Suffolk Authorities have met with the Energy Minister in Whitehall - The Suffolk Coastal delegation took their concerns directly to Kwasi Kwarteng regarding the energy proposals and the effects on the AONB & coastal communities (image - Bramford substation Scottish Power's proposals for EA1N & EA2 could see two of these at Friston)...

SEAS, SASES & Local residents attend East Suffolk cabinet meeting at Riverside in Lowestoft 7th January 2020 - Concerned residents travelled to the authorities head offices to attend the cabinet meeting


Suffolk Parish Councils call on Secretary of State at BEIS to 'urgently review' east Suffolk energy proposals - 32 parish councils have sent a co-signed letter expressing 'significant joint concerns' and urging an immediate suspension of EA1N & EA2 DCO applications.

Friston Community Event 4th January 2020 - In excess of 180 people attended the 2 community open days last weekend. The informative presentation and Q&A session helped provide guidance on Scottish Power's DCOs for EA1N & EA2 and the DCO process.
Click on more info button below to view the recorded video....

Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom and Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng commit to investigate Suffolk & Norfolk energy proposals

Norfolk MP George Freeman has announced that government department BEIS will review the environmental impact of energy proposals along the Suffolk & Norfolk coast. 

Scottish Power submit DCO applications to Planning Inspectorate

Scottish power’s application for DCO’s for EA1N & EA2 are received by the Planning Inspectorate. 

 

SASES & Friston Parish Council write to PINS - EA1N & EA2 consultations NOT adequate

SASES & Friston Parish Council send multipoint letter to Planning Inspectorate setting out the inadequacies of the pre-application consultations.

Friston suffers flooding again - SPR surely can't still believe Grove Wood is suitable for EA1 & EA2 substations?

Surface water from fields surrounding the village have caused 2 floods in the centre of the village in October (click more for the full story)..

Suffolk Coast DMO – Suffolk marketing organisation’s survey reveals negative economic impact of energy proposals on tourism

72% of tourism businesses surveyed ‘fairly worried’ or ‘very worried’. Economic impact could be between -£24million to -£40 million annually 

SEAS Campaign - Numerous voxpops are now live on the SEAS YouTube page, hear residents views on Suffolk's damaging energy proposals

Our community is shocked and angry the Energy Coast Suffolk is set to destroy the Suffolk Heritage Coast and damage tourism. Scottish Power, National Grid and other energy companies plans are unbelievable..

Scottish Power's digger damage - SPR's cable route could cause huge disruption to the Suffolk Coast's footpaths and PRoW

Scottish Power’s cable corridor to connect proposed off shore wind farms EA1N & EA2 to the grid set to close, disrupt or divert large stretches of popular footpaths including the ‘Sandlings’ walk.

SEAS Campaign Launched - Suffolk Energy Action Solutions community campaign launches to combat energy choas in Suffolk

The SEAS campaign looks at the human/emotional and environmental impact of Scottish Power, National Grid and other energy companies plans. 

28th March 2019 – EMAIL FROM GEORGE FREEMAN MP 
A Proper Plan for bringing electricity from offshore wind farms to the National Grid

As someone who I know shares an interest in our countryside and the impact of major development on our communities, habitats and landscape, I thought you’d appreciate a quick update on the massive development of cables and substations by international energy companies across Norfolk (and Suffolk).

Recently I secured and led a debate in Parliament to highlight the important issues raised by the planned development, at which the Minister gave some important undertakings.

Key points:

– The development of the major Southern North Sea wind farms will see 10 massive wind farms off the Norfolk and Suffolk Coast 

– To bring the electricity onshore will require hundreds of kilometres of high voltage cabling and connection to the National Grid via substations 

–  Whilst I – like you I’m sure – support offshore renewable wind energy, it is vital that the cabling and connectivity infrastructure is properly planned: to maximise efficiency, reduce waste and cost and to avoid unnecessary landscape, environmental and economic disruption across our county

– The first application for our area came in 2009, for a substation proposed to be at Little Dunham, on high ground visible to a huge area, before I and local councillors worked to negotiate for it to be moved to low lying land off the A47 at Necton

– We now have two more substations (these are the size of Wembley Stadium!) coming to Necton, with 150km of high voltage cabling being buried in trenches across the county). As before, the developer, in this case Vattenfall, have proposed putting the structures on top of a hill – affecting over 5 villages 

– But this time the developer is not prepared to discuss putting the station in low lying land, relying on the special planning rules for nationally significant infrastructure to override local concerns. 

– The first two farms alone have led to 150km and 2500 acres of farmland affected by cabling.

– In the next 5-10yrs, our area will see another 10 wind farms built offshore, and National Grid are currently proposing that each one makes its own arrangements for cabling and substation connectivity.

This is bonkers.

It is obvious to just about everyone who has looked at this that there ought to be an Offshore Ring Main with one or two connections onshore to the Grid – paid for by the consortia behind the farms (which are all heavily subsidised by us as taxpayers).

I believe we need a proper strategic Plan for bringing the offshore electricity onshore to the Grid (and making sure we have enough electricity here in Norfolk for all the new housing on the A11 corridor), which minimises disruption, cost, waste and landscape impact.

It is also only fair that the villages which carry the National Infrastructure for the nation should benefit in some way – with some contribution by the developer to local facilities.

After 3 years of working with many villages and Parish Councils, last week I raised the issues in a debate in Parliament.

The Minister gave a number of important undertakings – including supporting the call for a proper Offshore Ring Main – and has agreed to meet with me, other MPs, Councillors and organisations concerned at the impact on our countryside and communities. 

I am now convening an Offshore Energy Connection Plan Alliance (OECPA) to pursue this.

If you – or anyone you know would like to be kept informed – please let me now and feel free to forward this bulletin on.

To watch the debate in Parliament in full, please click the link to my website here: https://www.georgefreeman.co.uk/content/offshore-wind-energy-debate-0

I also include:

– The Hansard transcript of the debate (also attached)

– A link to the Petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/240822

– A link to the campaign page with all my up-to-date work on this issue: https://www.georgefreeman.co.uk/content/offshore-wind-farms-and-vattenfall

– Widespread media coverage of the debate:

MP calls for debate to avoid ‘major environmental impact’ of offshore windfarm projects:

https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/george-freeman-in-debate-over-norfolk-and-suffolk-windfarms-1-5932011

Communities left ‘cut out’ by plans for windfarms which include substation the size of Wembley stadium – MP:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/george-freeman-in-debate-over-norfolk-and-suffolk-windfarms-1-5932011

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/george-freeman-in-debate-over-norfolk-and-suffolk-windfarms-1-5932011

https://www.wattonandswaffhamtimes.co.uk/news/george-freeman-in-debate-over-norfolk-and-suffolk-windfarms-1-5932011

MP’s concerns over power cables and substations:

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2019-03-12/mps-concerns-over-power-cables-and-substations/

Is this the way to stop offshore wind farm developers carving up miles of our region’s countryside?

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/environment/offshore-wind-farms-norfolk-coast-offshore-ring-mains-necton-mid-norfolk-mp-george-freeman-parliament-vanguard-boreas-vattenfall-hornsea-three-orsted-1-5946700

Please circulate this to anyone else you know who is concerned about our countryside and planning system and encourage them to please:

– Sign the Petition

Together – we CAN make a difference.

I believe we owe it to the generations who will come after us to get this right and leave our county as beautiful as we found it.

Yours,

George Freeman MP

image001

Member of Parliament for Mid Norfolk
8 Damgate Street | Wymondham | NR18 0BQ

01953 600 617
www.georgefreeman.co.uk
To join the 25,000+ people following me on social media: Twitter @GeorgeFreemanMP Facebook @GeorgeFreemanMidNorfolk

26th March 2019 – Friston Parish Council & SASES response to EA1N & EA2 ‘Phase 4 Consultation’ 

Friston Parish Council with SASES working group response to EA1N &EA2 Final Stage Consultations – read the joint response >>> 

26th March 2019 – Suffolk Authorities response to EA1N & EA2 ‘Phase 4 Consultation’ 

East Suffolk & Suffolk County Council response to EA1N &EA2 Final Stage Consultations – read the joint response >>> 

10TH DECEMBER 2018
SCOTTISH POWER, MEETING WITH FRISTON PARISH COUNCIL

On Monday Scottish Power met with Friston Parish Council to confirm selection of Grove Wood, Friston. Also in attendance were members of the action group SASES, Suffolk County & District Councillors Russ Ranger and TJ Haworth-Culf.
This meeting was requested by Scottish Power, below is a summary of some key issues covered:

  • Scottish Power confirmed Grove Wood was the only site they would be taking though to Phase 4 consultation. 
  • They provided a summary presentation of the site selection process and reasoning for their choice (slides below). It was clear to all of the attendees nothing had changed the same reasoning was used to dismiss Broom Covert that saw the other 3 easterly proposals (sites 1, 2 & 3) dismissed. Scottish Power were not prepared to take a site forward to DCO that was in the AONB. – SPR were strongly challenged on this, effectively they have only seriously considered sites to the west all outside the AONB and they had failed to consider any brownfield options.
  • Scottish Powers presentation summary of 3.5 feedback showed a distinct lack of consideration of the views of the local authorities and of the local MP. More emphasis was given to Natural England and AONB who backed a decision to not locate in the AONBSPR were challenged on their reasoning including identifying the AONB as a ‘red’ RAG issue, which was incorrect. After prompting from SASES, SPR corrected this and confirmed the ‘red’ issue was actually due to access off the main road (shared with Sizewell power station), it was pointed out that this had not been an issue for the 2 other wind farm substations already built at Sizewell.
  • When asked why the Friston location was so near to dwellings and why a 250m rule had been used when other projects used 500m+ SPR provided no satisfactory response  – SASES asked why Royal Haskoning had used a 500m rule for the Galloper project, yet 250m was used at Friston, it was pointed out that even with a 250m buffer there were still some properties within 250m of the proposed substations at Friston.
  • When asked about economic impact, the effect on the village and effected communities and mitigation SPR confirmed these details would follow in Phase 4 when the full impact assessments were releasedAttendees made it quite clear this was too little too late.
  • SPR were challenged on the impact their proposals were having on the value and sale-ability of Friston villagers homes – numerous concerns were brought to SPRs attention, sales particulars now had to include a disclaimer about SPRs proposals, property values had already been affected, sales were struggling, retired residents were stuck, people had bought in Friston as it was quiet, peaceful and in the countryside, all this was at risk. 
  • SPR were asked about proposals for compensation. SPR had nothing in place at the moment to address blight – It was made clear this was not acceptable and that something needed to be done to help villagers that wanted to sell or move away.
  • SPR were asked why property questionnaires sent to Friston residents were misleading, they did not make it clear provision of information was voluntary  – SPR confirmed that there was NO obligation to provide detailed information about property &/or access rights over property & land.

Site Selection Decision Presentation to Friston PC 10th December 2018 >>> – Presentation Slides provided by Scottish Power

IMPORTANT UPDATE ……SCOTTISH POWER REJECT BROOM COVERT & TAKE GROVE WOOD, FRISTON TO PHASE 4 CONSULTATION!

It is with great sadness that we can confirm that Scottish Power are pressing forward with their unrelenting assault on Friston in their pursuit for profit over environment and communities. Scottish Power’s announcement takes forward a ‘worst case scenario’. Scottish Powers plans represent both needless damage to the SC&H AONB and the destruction of the character of the unassumingly, peaceful village of Friston. 

SASES have released a media release to local and national press. SASES would like to let the SOS Group (Save Our Sandlings) know that we are fully supportive of their fight for the the AONB and that we hope to work closely together to shut down this unrelenting push from energy companies to destroy the Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB and wider rural landscape of East Suffolk.  

Click here to read SASES’s Media Release >>>

SASES – LAUNCH ONLINE DONATIONS FACILITY 

We have launched a donations page to help fight for the future of Friston and the wider Suffolk landscape. It is essential we are prepared, if needed to mount a legal challenge against Scottish Power and others who feel the AONB and East Suffolk is fair game for development. 

Donate at our ‘Chuffed’ donations page >>>