1. That the Head of Planning and Coastal Management, in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economic Development, be granted authority to fully engage with the Pre-examination and Examination stages of the Development Consent Order process in relation to the Sizewell C nuclear power station project. This will include:
• Submission of Written Representations to expand upon the Relevant Representation where necessary,
• Submission of a Local Impact Report,
• Submission of Statements of Common Ground between the application and the Council,
• Attending/authorising technical officers to participate at Preliminary Meetings/hearings/accompanied site visits,
• Responding to Examining Authority’s questions and requests for further information,
• Commenting on other interested parties’ representations and submissions as appropriate,
• Signing planning obligations if required.
• Any other requirements not yet identified.
Should the DCO be granted by the Secretary of State, this will include:
• Discharge of requirements on the DCO.
• Facilitating the Council’s responsibilities under any Section 106 agreement.
• Consideration of any minor revisions to the DCO proposed via PINS.
2. That the Head of Planning and Coastal Management, in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economic Development, be authorised to include additional evidence to strengthen the draft Relevant Representation as agreed with the Leader of the Council prior to its submission to PINS.
3. That following agreement by the Cabinet of East Suffolk Council, the draft Relevant Representation set out in Appendix A and summarised below, subject to any agreed amendments, be submitted to PINS.
4. That PINS be informed by the Relevant Representation that East Suffolk Council recognises the national benefit these projects will bring in meeting the low carbon energy targets and creating sustainable economic growth in Suffolk. However, this would need to be achieved without significant damage to the local built and natural environment, local communities and tourist economy. The Council has raised concerns on the following matters:
• Landscape and Visual Effects
• Flood Risk Assessment / Sea defences
• Design and Masterplan
• Freight management strategy / transport strategy
• Cumulative Impacts
• Measures to address residual impacts of the projects
The Council also has concerns or wishes to make representations in a number of additional areas which have been outlined below:
• Socio-Economic Impacts
• Air Quality
• Public Rights of Way
• Ecology
• Coastal geomorphology
• Archaeology
• Construction Management including noise and vibration
East Suffolk Council is supportive of the principle of new nuclear development, recognising the strategic need for zero/low carbon energy and the contribution the industry can make to sustainable economic growth in Suffolk. This must however be achieved without significant damage to the environment, local communities and tourist economy of East Suffolk. The projects as designed to date will result in impacts as set out above, particularly in relation to the environment around the nuclear power stations site and associated development sites, and significant effects on the designated landscape.
5. That this Council continues to engage with EDF Energy/SZC Co. to identify means by which the impact of the proposals can be mitigated and/or compensated if the developments do take place and seek appropriate s106 agreements to secure the necessary mitigation and/or compensation.
6. That the continued work with Government, namely MHCLG and BEIS with regards to the cumulative impacts on East Suffolk of the numerous energy projects existing and forthcoming be noted.
The following decisions have been taken by the Cabinet and will come into effect immediately.
Please note that the decision made by the Cabinet, will not be subject to Call-In, with the agreement of the Chairman of the Council and in accordance with the Council's Call-In procedures, as set out in the Council's Constitution. The Constitution states:
“The call-in procedure set out above shall not apply where the decision being taken by the Cabinet is urgent. A decision will be urgent if any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public interest. The record of the decision, and notice by which it is made public, shall state whether, in the opinion of the decision-making person or body, the decision is an urgent one, and therefore not subject to call-in. The Chairman of the Council must agree both the decision proposed is reasonable in all the circumstances and to it being treated as a matter of urgency.”
As a statutory consultee, the Cabinet will consider and agree the final version of the Relevant Representation (RR) at its meeting of 21 September 2020. Cabinet decisions may be subject to call-in by the Scrutiny Committee, and if called-in, cannot be implemented until the Scrutiny Committee have considered the matter.
If the Cabinet decision was to be called in, there would be insufficient time for the Scrutiny Committee to meet and consider the matter before the deadline for the submission of the RR on 30.9.20. Therefore, Cabinet’s decision could not be implemented, or the RR submitted, before the deadline of 30.9.20.
To not submit the ESC’s RR before the deadline would mean that the ESC could not take part in the examination process. It’s views in the RR on the DCO would not be taken into account. Therefore, the delay caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the ESC’s position. It would also seriously prejudice the public interest, as the views of a statutory consultee would not be heard, and the many issues which the ESC wish to highlight, and have taken into account, should the DCO be consented, would not be made to the examiner, or to the Secretary of State.
Given that any delay likely to be caused by the call in process would seriously prejudice the ESC’s position, or the public interest, then, the Cabinet decision of 21.9.20 is urgent, and will not, therefore, be subject to call-in.