NOTICE PUBLICISING CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER FOR THE SIZEWELL C PROJECT (Application Reference: EN010012)
Planning Act 2008, Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 and Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017
On 24 June 2020, the Planning Inspectorate on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted an application by NNB Generation Company (SZC) Limited of 90 Whitfield Street, London W1T 4EZ (the Applicant) for a Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008 for the Sizewell C Project (the Application) (Application Reference: EN010012). The Application is currently in the pre-examination period prior to being examined by a panel of Examining Inspectors appointed by the Planning Inspectorate.
The Application is for development consent to construct, operate and maintain the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station, which comprises two UK EPR™ reactor units, giving a total site capacity of approximately 3,340MW, along with associated development required for the construction or operation of the Sizewell C nuclear power station or to mitigate its impacts. The Sizewell C nuclear power station would be located in Sizewell in East Suffolk, approximately halfway between Felixstowe and Lowestoft; to the north-east of the town of Leiston.
The main on-site aspects of the Sizewell C Project comprise the nuclear power station; associated buildings, plant and infrastructure; offshore works including cooling water system and combined drainage outfall in the North Sea; a temporary accommodation campus; a new National Grid 400kV substation; relocation of certain Sizewell B infrastructure; a crossing over the Sizewell Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); access works; construction compounds and spoil management areas; temporary rail infrastructure; and landscaping. Proposed off-site associated development includes temporary park and ride sites; a two village bypass; a Sizewell link road; highway improvements; a temporary freight management facility; temporary rail infrastructure; and permanent rail upgrade works. The Sizewell C Project is an Environmental Impact Assessment development (EIA development), as defined by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.
Further details of the Sizewell C Project are provided in the Application. The Application form and its accompanying documents, drawings, plans and maps, including an environmental statement, comprising the Application are available for inspection free of charge by downloading them from the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/the-sizewell-c-project/?ipcsection=docs.
The Applicant has identified potential opportunities to deliver improvements to the Sizewell C Project and in many cases reduce impacts as a result of continued engagement with stakeholders, the public and its contractors. In advance of seeking approval from the Planning Inspectorate to amend the Application, the Applicant is carrying out a consultation on the proposed changes summarised below. A consultation document, which includes preliminary environmental information, has been prepared, which explains the changes that are being proposed.
PROPOSED CHANGES
- Increase in the frequency of freight train movements to facilitate bulk material imports by rail.
- Enhancement of the permanent beach landing facility and options for a new temporary beach landing facility to facilitate material imports by sea.
- Change to the SSSI crossing design to a single span bridge with embankments.
- Surface water removed early in the construction process to be discharged to the foreshore via a temporary outfall.
- Change to the sea defence to make the scheme more efficient and resilient to climate change.
- Greater flexibility as to where certain Sizewell B facilities are relocated to potentially avoid the need for car parking on Pillbox Field.
- Change to certain parameter heights and activities on the main development site to facilitate the construction process.
- Change to the location of the Water Resource Storage Area and the addition of flood mitigation measures to lower flood risk.
- Revisions to tree retention on the main development site.
- A new bridleway link between Aldhurst Farm and Kenton Hills.
- Extension of the Order Limits to provide for fen meadow habitat at Pakenham as further mitigation for fen meadow loss.
- Extension and reduction of the Order Limits for works on the main development site and related sites (fen meadow mitigation sites and marsh harrier improvement sites).
- Extension of landscaped bund and other minor changes at the southern park and ride, including a minor reduction of the Order Limits.
- Minor reductions to the Order Limits at the northern park and ride.
- Extension of the Order Limits for works on the two village bypass, change to the public right of way around Walk Barn Farm and additional habitat mitigation proposals.
- Extension to and reduction of the Order Limits for works on the Sizewell link road.
- Minor reductions to the Order Limits for Yoxford roundabout, the A12/B1119 junction at Saxmundham and the A1094/B1069 south of Knodishall.
HOW TO VIEW THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
You can view the consultation document and response form between 18 November and 18 December 2020 free of charge by downloading them from the homepage of www.sizewellc.co.uk or by contacting the Applicant using the contact details below to request a hard copy or USB stick.
APPLICANT’S CONTACT DETAILS
If you have any enquiries about the consultation, please contact the Applicant on:
- Freephone: 0800 197 6102 (09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday)
- Email: info@sizewellc.co.uk
Any details you provide to us via the telephone or email will be subject to our privacy policy, which is available to view at: https://www.edfenergy.com/privacy/NNB.
RESPONDING TO THE CONSULTATION
Any responses to this consultation must be submitted to the Applicant by the latest of 18 December 2020 via one of the methods below:
- Complete a response form online at sizewellc.co.uk
- Email comments to info@sizewellc.co.uk
- Post comments to FREEPOST SZC CONSULTATION (no stamp or further address required)
- If you are shielding and unable to use the above methods, call Freephone 0800 197 6102 (09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday) to arrange for your response to be collected
