Public Notice: The Sizewell C Project – Notice Of Consultation On Proposed Change
4th August 2021
An application for an order granting development consent has been made under section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 by NNB Generation Company (SZC) Limited (‘Applicant’), whose registered office is at 90 Whitfield Street, London W1T 4EZ, to the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) (‘Application’).
The Application was made on 27 May 2020 and accepted for Examination by the Planning Inspectorate on 24 June 2020 (Application Reference: EN010012). An Examining Authority was appointed on 30 June 2020 to examine the Application and the Examination is due to close by 14 October 2021. After the Examination has closed, the Examining Authority will submit a report to the Secretary of State who will then make the decision on whether or not to grant the development consent order.
The Project
The Application is for development consent to construct, operate and maintain the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station, which would comprise two UK EPR™ reactor units with an expected net electrical output of approximately 1,670 megawatts per unit, giving a total site capacity of approximately 3,340 megawatts, along with associated development required for the construction or operation of the Sizewell C nuclear power station or to mitigate its impacts (‘Project’). 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 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; 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. Further details of the Project are provided in the Application.
Environmental Impact Assessment
The Project is an EIA development, as defined by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. An Environmental Statement was submitted with the Application (Examination Library refs. APP-159 to APP-582) pursuant to the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 and Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2007. Details of environmental information submitted since acceptance of the Application, and how that information supplements or changes the Environmental Statement, are provided in the Environmental Statement Signposting Document (Examination Library ref. REP2-025) submitted to the Examining Authority on 2 June 2021.
Copies of the Application
The Application, including the Environmental Statement, together with the Application form and its accompanying documents, drawings, plans and maps, are available for inspection free of charge on the webpage relating to the Application on the Planning Inspectorate’s website under the ‘Documents’ tab: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/the-sizewell-c-project/?ipcsection=docs These documents will be available to view on the website for at least the duration of the Examination, which is due to be completed by no later than 14 October 2021.
Details of the development consent process and how to participate are set out in the Planning Inspectorate’s ‘Advice Note Eight: Overview of the nationally significant infrastructure planning process for members of the public and others’, which is available to view free of charge at: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/
Proposed Change to the Application
On 21 April 2021, the Examining Authority accepted for Examination 15 changes to the Application (‘Accepted Changes‘). The Accepted Changes are described in a letter dated 11 January 2021 submitted by the Applicant which can be viewed here: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN010012/EN010012-003020-Application%20EN010012%20Cover%20Letter.pdf
On 23 July 2021, the Applicant submitted a request for a further three changes to the Application (Changes 16 to 18). The requested changes are explained in a letter dated 23 July 2021 submitted by the Applicant which can be viewed here: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN010012/EN010012-006396-The%20Sizewell%20C%20Project%20-%20Other-%20Cover%20Letter%20-%20Change%20Request.pdf
Proposed Change 19: temporary desalination plant: As a result of ongoing engagement with Northumbrian Water Limited (‘NWL’), the Applicant has now identified a further proposed change that it wishes to make to the Application. Due to capacity constraints within the local Blyth Water Resource Zone, a temporary desalination plant is proposed to meet the Project’s potable water needs for part of the construction period, before a new transfer main is provided by NWL. The proposed temporary desalination plant would comprise an intake pipe with screen, an outfall pipe with diffuser, and associated onshore pumping station and plant. Once the transfer main has been constructed, the temporary desalination plant would be removed.
Consultation on Proposed Change 19: temporary desalination plant
In advance of submitting a request to the Examining Authority to make Proposed Change 19 to the Application, the Applicant is undertaking consultation on this proposed change. A Consultation Document has been prepared to describe the change and explain why the change is being proposed. The Consultation Document will be available to view free of charge from 3 August to midday 27 August 2021 at: www.sizewellc.co.uk
Copies of the Consultation Document can be sent to you upon request on a USB stick or in hard copy (free of charge though reasonable postage charges may apply). To make a request, please use the Applicant’s contact details below. Alternatively, subject to any applicable government restrictions in response to Covid-19 that may apply, you can book an appointment to view the Application and Consultation Document at:
- the Sizewell C Information Office at 48-50 High Street, Leiston IP16 4EW (please call 0800 197 6102 to make an appointment) – the complete set of Application documents and the Consultation Document are available in both electronic and hard copy; and
- the Council Offices of the Leiston-cum-Sizewell Town Council at Council Offices, Main Street, Leiston IP16 4ER (please call 01728 830388 to make an appointment) – the Application documents are available in electronic copy and the Consultation Document is available in hard copy.
Responding to this Consultation on Proposed Change 19: temporary desalination plant
If you would like to respond to this consultation, the Applicant’s preference is that you complete the online feedback form, containing a series of questions about the proposed change, which will be available between 3 August and midday 27 August 2021 at: www.sizewellc.co.uk
Alternatively, you can send your comments on Proposed Change 19 by email to info@sizewellc.co.uk or by post to FREEPOST SZC CONSULTATION (no stamp or further address required). If you are shielding and unable to use these methods, please call Freephone 0800 197 6102 (09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday) to arrange for your response to be collected.
Completed response forms and comments about Proposed Change 19 must be received by the Applicant by no later than midday 27 August 2021. Any responses received by the Applicant will subsequently be provided by the Applicant to the Planning Inspectorate who may publish these responses on its website at: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/the-sizewell-c-project/
The Applicant’s Contact Details
If you have any enquiries about the proposed change, the Consultation Document and any other matters covered in this notice, you may contact the Applicant by email at info@sizewellc.co.uk or by Freephone on 0800 197 6102 (09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday).
Any details you provide to the Applicant via email or the telephone will be subject to the Applicant’s privacy policy, which is available to view at: https://www.edfenergy.com/privacy/NNB
