The RSPB understands the need for projects which enable the connection of renewable energy into our national grid to help tackle the climate emergency. However, we are seriously concerned at the lack of strategic planning of energy projects by National Grid along the Suffolk coast, and in particular the lack of prioritisation of options which minimise impacts on nature and wildlife.
Please read to the end to see how you can help oppose this by responding to National Grid’s consultation by 18 December.
The Suffolk coast is currently the location for a number of energy proposals by National Grid, including three interconnectors. These are undersea/underground cables, two of which (Nautilus and EuroLink) would link our national grid to those of other countries and provide links to offshore windfarms, whilst one (Sea Link) would link Suffolk to Kent to reinforce the UK’s energy network.
One of the options for the undersea cables to emerge onto land (the landfall site) for the current Sea Link proposals is within the RSPB’s North Warren nature reserve and Leiston-Aldeburgh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This area supports many rare and special species, including nationally important numbers of wintering white-fronted geese. A cable route here could potentially cause disturbance to birds and other wildlife and damage to precious habitats during construction, even affecting our longer-term management of the site due to restrictions around the area of the cable.
National Grid’s alternative route option for the proposed Sea Link cable route runs near (and may cross) land within the Sandlings Special Protection Area (SPA) and the Leiston-Aldeburgh SSSI, raising concerns about potential disturbance and loss of habitat for breeding woodlark, nightjar, turtle dove and nightingale should this route be chosen.
The RSPB disagrees with development in such precious wildlife sites on the Suffolk coast and elsewhere in the UK and we therefore object to the proposals here. We are extremely disappointed that routes within nationally and internationally important wildlife sites have even been proposed.
White-fronted goose (c) Jon Evans
Recently we have also been made aware of proposals for the EuroLink interconnector. The onshore cable route options proposed for this project all affect important wildlife sites, including RSPB Minsmere and part of the Minsmere-Walberswick SPA which is of international importance for its wetland, heathland and coastal birds, including the iconic stone curlew and nightjar. It could also damage RSPB North Warren’s wetlands which support a vast array of wildlife. Again, we are very concerned about disturbance to wildlife and damage to habitats during construction, along with any buildings or facilities which might be needed in sensitive areas.
If the National Grid interconnector proposals go ahead at these sites, the combined damage and disturbance from these projects and other energy projects to the wildlife and protected habitats on the Suffolk coast could be catastrophic. We also understand the serious concerns that these proposals are causing to local communities and all those who value the wildlife of the Suffolk coast.
We will be responding to the public consultations for Sea Link and EuroLink, objecting to proposals and asking National Grid to look more strategically for options which minimise impacts on important wildlife.
RSPB North Warren (c) RSPB
National Grid has opened consultations to the public for the Sea Link and EuroLink projects until 18 December. You can help by telling National Grid that cable routes passing through important wildlife sites at RSPB North Warren nature reserve (for Sea Link and EuroLink) and RSPB Minsmere nature reserve (for EuroLink) are unacceptable and that these options should be removed from their proposals.
You could also ask them to look more strategically at options which minimise impacts on important wildlife. You can do this by emailing your comments for Sea Link to contact@sealink.nationalgrid.com and for EuroLink to info@eurolink.nationalgrid.com or by filling in the forms on the websites below:
If you are able to do this by 18 December when the National Grid consultations close, this would really help as your views would be counted as part of the current public consultations where National Grid is looking for feedback from the public on what they think of these interconnector proposals.
Thank you for speaking up to help nature.
Read more about our work to do with the Suffolk coast electrical interconnectors.
(Main image: RSPB North Warren south marsh (c) RSPB)