UPDATED ON THURSDAY, 14th OCTOBER
—
As you may have heard (or read previously here) a consultation is currently being undertaken by National Grid Ventures (NGV) for the siting of both a substation and converter station over a range of potential sites in East Suffolk. One of the potential sites falls within the parish. Each household should have recently received a booklet direct from NGV outlining general information and the sites being considered.
NGV held a number of drop in events locally, such as in Saxmundham, but that did not include Snape, despite our direct request. Therefore, it is intended to hold our own drop-in — in the Village Hall on Monday, 25th October from 2pm to 6:30pm — to try to explain the potential impact of the project, its potential cumulative impact with other power projects being planned, and listen to the views of local people.
POSTED ON WEDNESDAY, 29th SEPTEMBER
—
From: Fiona Gilmore <fijigilmore@yahoo.co.uk>
To: Snape Residents re Nautilus Consultation, 1st October at Saxmundham Market Hall
Sent: Wednesday, 29 Sep, 2021 at 19:09
Subject: To Snape Residents : only --two-- ONE more days of Nautilus Consultations — please attend, because your absence will be noted.
Dear All,
Please forgive this direct appeal.
Over the last two years, I have been campaigning under the SEAS (Suffolk Energy Action Solutions) umbrella to halt these ludicrous plans for onshore wind energy infrastructure : ScottishPower and National Grid plans which will carve up our countryside and needlessly destroy habitats, disrupting communities and amenities and impacting severely on tourism and hospitality as visitors will choose to go elsewhere.
I have attended Tuesday’s Nautilus Consultation at Leiston and Wednesday’s Consultation at Friston. I noted the names and addresses of many of the locals attending. Thus far, I have not seen a single Snape resident. I may be mistaken about this, but there is still time to attend.
These Nautilus informal Consultations are hugely significant for Snape, more significant than any previous Consultation.
Why?
Because it is rumoured at Westminster that their Preferred Site for the Nautilus converter, the Eurolink converter and possibly all the substations — if ScottishPower does not get consent for the Friston site — could all go to (so-called) CSA1, a site adjacent to Snape Church, a site of 86.92 hectares (215 acres, a third of a square mile), large enough to accommodate the biggest wind-energy infrastructure in the UK.
It offers easier access, and fewer listed houses and residents, than at Friston.
We need to show National Grid that all five sites are unacceptable, not only the Snape site, but if Snape residents do not bother to turn up to the informal Consultations it will be noted. There is a Form for locals to complete which shows National Grid what you are particularly concerned about.
ACTION STEPS
Paul Richards, Snape Parish Chairman, has very kindly offered to copy this email to as many residents as possible in Snape, in order that we can achieve a collective effort.
These are the suggested action steps.
1. Attend the Consultations on Thursday and Friday.
For at least 50 Snape residents to attend the final two Consultations, |
Thursday 30th September at Thorpeness Pavilion — 4pm to 8pm or |
FRIDAY 1st OCTOBER at SAXMUNDHAM MARKET HALL — 10AM TO 2PM |
Even if you go for just ten minutes to express your horror and that you live in Snape, that would make an impact. For those who can, we would like you to interrogate the National Grid team on why they are so keen to destroy our cultural heritage along with all the other issues. To desecrate our Churches by positioning 24-metre (78-feet) high concrete interconnectors cheek by jowl is tantamount to mindless destruction or, as Janice Turner from The Times said, “stupid vandalism”.
The voices of Snape need to be heard.
2. Door-to-door delivery
We have just printed 5,000 leaflets for door-to-door delivery for the whole region from Thorpeness to Saxmundham. We are looking for five Snape volunteers to distribute a total of 300 Leaflets to Snape residents. Our Leaflet explains that there is a better solution “ a split decision” and that we know that this Hub can be sited at a brownfield site on the shoreline at Bradwell and also at Grain, closer to where the electricity is needed. In our Leaflet we ask you to write to the Secretary of State, Kwasi Kwarteng, and we give the main arguments against this area. You can also add your particular concerns about Snape, Snape Maltings and the disruption on the rural lanes and arterial roads. This area was never intended to be industrialised, and we believe that this is our single chance to speak up before it may be too late.
3. Join us in our campaign
If you wish to be on our newsletter list, just write to me and I will organise that. We have the support of our local MP, and we are constructively proposing a better, greener solution.
Nautilus Interconnector Events: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and FRIDAY
A quick reminder. The events being held by National Grid Ventures with regards to Nautilus Interconnector began Tuesday. All dates as follows:
1. Leiston (Tuesday 28 September - 4pm to 8pm - Leiston Community Centre, King George’s Avenue, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4JX);
2. Friston (Wednesday 29 September - 10am to 2pm - Friston Village Hall, Church Road, Friston, Suffolk, IP17 1PU);
3. Thorpeness (Thursday 30 September - 4pm to 8pm - Thorpeness Pavilion, Thorpe Road, Thorpeness, Suffolk, IP16 4FD); and
4. SAXMUNDHAM (FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER - 10AM TO 2PM - SAXMUNDHAM MARKET HALL, HIGH ST, SAXMUNDHAM, IP17 1AF).
SEAS will be at each meeting and we urge you to spread the word to your friends and neighbours and attend. It would be very helpful if you could let us know if you are able to attend so that we can ensure that sufficient people are at each venue. Showing our strength in numbers is, as always, vital. Further information can be found here.
LATEST IN THE PRESS
This week's press has been dominated by energy issues and SEAS has had its share of publicity.
1. On Wednesday, the "East Anglian Daily Times" has published SEAS comments on the Nautilus Interconnector: SEAS said: "There is increasing alarm at how on earth the Government Department for Business, Energy Industry Strategy (BEIS) and Ofgem can be allowing such plans to be even contemplated. "It is obvious to anyone visiting this area that the adverse impacts will outweigh any benefits to this region."
2. Earlier this week the "New Civil Engineer" published under the headline, "'Greener' solution tabled to replace ‘destructive’ Suffolk energy plans", quoting SEAS, “instead of this destructive, outdated plan we should step-change to a smarter integrated solution offshore and bring in the wind energy in a reduced number of cable routes to a brownfield site, such as Bramford or Bradwell”.
3. Finally, Fiona Gilmore of SEAS can be seen on "BBC Politics East" with Stewart White discussing how to prevent offshore wind projects carving up our countryside with cable trenches and electricity substations. As Fiona said 5 minutes in, integrate offshore and "take it in one cable route to a brownfield site or an industrialised site — it is as simple as that".
Listen to the full programme on BBC iplayer — "it's quick & easy" to register with the BBC, if you haven't done so already.
We look forward to seeing you later in the week.
Best wishes,
Fiona Gilmore
The SEAS Team
e: info@suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk
w: www.suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk
m: 077 888 708 23