Scottish Power industrially spray land at proposed EA1N & EA2 substation site and along cable route

Drone footage has captured a trail of destruction after Scottish Power appear to have had swathes of land industrially sprayed to mark out their intended cable route across the Suffolk AONB, in what signifies a blatant two fingers up to the planning process and protected landscape.

Local residents are fuming as it appears there was no pre-warning or even notification of the use of industrial weed killers at some point in April or early May, at a time when ground nesting birds like skylarks which are known to nest in the area. People are now asking what chemicals were used and whether wildlife and local people might have been exposed to potential carcinogens?

Some worried residents are determined to find out and many believe the matter should be investigated by the police.

In Friston acres of land have also been industrially sprayed and almost 100 'investigation' trenches scar the land

Residents of Friston have also learned of the use of powerful chemical spraying on more land where Scottish Power & National Grid plan to construct a massive substation complex.

A local resident described the fields as “lush one day with wild flowers beginning to grow, then brown and dead the next. Whatever has been used is powerful and appears to be strong enough to kill everything in its path”.

Is the use of industrial weed killer really necessary for exploratory works? 

What effects could these chemical have on wildlife?

What effects could these chemicals have on local people? 

Therese Coffey local MP and our appointed representatives at Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council must question the actions of Scottish Power and their contractors to find out what chemicals were used and why no one living close by was warned. Local people now have the added worry of potential physical health implications of Scottish Power’s investigative work.

PLEASE EMAIL CONCERNS TO:

Therese Coffey MP – therese.coffey.mp@parliament.uk

Richard Rout – Cabinet Member for Environmental and Public Protection – Richard.Rout@suffolk.gov.uk

Steve Gallant Leader East Suffolk Council steve.gallant@eastsuffolk.gov.uk , Craig Rivett (Deputy Leader ESC / Cabinet Member for Economic Development) – craig.rivett@eastsuffolk.gov.uk

And copy to your local county councillors:
Andrew.Reid@suffolk.gov.uk
tj.haworth-culf@suffolk.gov.uk