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Suffolk wind power opponents are threatening UK zero demands

The UK’s expulsion from the decarbonise power plant faces a major test within weeks as the prime minister controls whether two wind farms from the east coast of England should move forward despite strong opposition from locals over the project’s landfills.

ScottishPower’s application for the preparation of two projects off the coast of Suffolk includes permission for ropes and two eight-acre squares to be built on land.

The project will be a recent test of rural tolerance to perform the tasks required to connect to the many hydroelectric power plants in the North Sea.

In February, villagers in the vicinity of Norfolk were able to overturn the approval of a large offshore wind farm operated by the Swedish company Vattenfall, following concerns over the seaside portfolio.

The government has set a goal to increase the UK’s maritime capacity to 40GW by the end of the decade as part of its goal of reducing Britain’s energy efficiency by 2035.

But residents of Suffolk have identified at least eight projects that want to “destroy” coastal areas in the region, unless coastal equipment connected to the power grid is connected and reduced. In addition to new coastal offshore operations, the National Grid is planning to establish a number of underground power lines that supply electricity to continental Europe.

The old town of Suffolk in Friston will be the site of a large mansion © Si Barber / FT

Power companies and environmentalists secretly admit that if not carefully managed, your opposition in eastern England could lead to “Onshore wind 2.0”. Former Prime Minister David Cameron prohibited assistance in the development of coastal wind farms in 2016 under intense pressure from Conservative backbench MPs.

Opponents this time include Prime Minister Thérèse Coffey, a local lawmaker and secretary of employment and pensions, who has sponsored a campaign to find more land.

Doug Parr, a senior scientist at Greenpeace UK, said: “Coastal wind companies have caused problems because of the prospect of their approval. not to be attacked by neighbors. ”

Residents of Suffolk are protesting that the high-rise building required the two ScottishPower systems to “clear the road wound” across the fragile rocks of Thorpeness and coastal towns. They also need less space in the old town of Suffolk in Friston.

Suffolk map

Both services – East Anglia One North (EA1N) and East Anglia Two (EA2) – require development approval from business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng by January 6.

These policies have also caused the ruling Conservative party to clash with some of its supporters in the most loyal Suffolk Coastal region.

Fiona Gilmore, who heads the Suffolk Energy Action Solutions development team, emphasized that it was not against wind farms but believed that it was possible to coordinate operations and send their electricity to a single point across the brownfield.

In his view, “local areas are being treated recklessly and mercilessly by manufacturers who are using the rural areas as their green gold mine, their wind power”.

Alexander Gimson is the chairman of the Wardens Trust, a charitable organization that provides disability facilities in the mountains.

Under ScottishPower’s plans, building a cable that can be 100 yards from the charity headquarters, will take three years. Gimson protested his approach and the disruption threatened the future of the trust.

Gimson said his mother, who owns a charity and his property, was given more than £ 50,000 by ScottishPower to allow it to operate such as moving fences and cages. The funds included “incentive payments” by signing the contract.

Alexander Gimson
Alexander Gimson said the proximity of the cable to the Wardens Trust headquarters threatened his future © Si Barber / FT

A letter sent to Gimson’s mother by lawyers representing ScottishPower, stated that in approving the funding, Gimson could not “stand” in terms of the legal rules for the development of both services. He believes this is in line with the “disruptive system”.

Scottish Power said: “We reject the assertion that we have made the most of our land tenure, including any assumptions that we may make against the planning process. These claims are false and false.

It stated that no such agreements were entered into. “All of our agreements have been framed in accordance with the highest corporate standards.”

Seaside farms
The coastal wind farm in Iberdrola’s East Anglia, completed in 2020, connects to the national grid at Bramford in Suffolk © Rob Howarth.

Residents of Suffolk said they would not be disappointed if the district could benefit from coastal storm operations but feared that they would only find “crumbs on the table”, with fewer and more maintenance jobs. This is in contrast to Teesside and Hull, who own it attract money from companies including General Electric and Nokia Gamesa for offshore wind turbines.

“If someone told me that was what East Suffolk was going to get, I would be a little lower in the final phase of the project,” said Michael Mahony, who lives outside Friston.

The controversy also highlights the problems that the Conservatives face in trying to undermine the interests of the government and the concerns of its constituencies.

Perhaps in recognition of this, the government earlier this year introduced a plan on how to implement a “coherent” approach to coastal storm events and associated infrastructure in order to minimize potential impacts on coastal areas.

The trade ministry said Suffolk’s applications were being considered “in accordance with due process”.

Scottish Power said: “We have continued to listen to the local people and stakeholders, and to change their design accordingly. This also applies to our efforts to protect the environment.”


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