Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment Public Consultation: Application for proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station, Suffolk UK

Overview

Transboundary Environmental Public Consultation – Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station, Suffolk, England, UK  

Why your views matter

Under the terms of the 1991 United Nations Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (the Espoo Convention), and the EU Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (the EIA Directive), Member States are required to engage in transboundary public consultation in respect of projects likely to have significant effects on the environment of neighbouring States as part of the environmental impact assessment of a proposed development. For this purpose, the Member State in whose territory the project is intended to be carried out is required to send to the affected State, no later than when informing its own public, a description of the project and any available information on its possible transboundary impact.

Each planning authority in Ireland has recently received information in the form of a letter of notification dated 8 July 2020 from the United Kingdom’s Planning Inspectorate (PINS) to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG) relating to an application for development consent (planning application) for the proposed Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station, which is to be constructed in Suffolk, England, UK.

The letter from the UK’s PINS states that the Secretary of State has received an application in respect of the proposed development includes two UK European Pressurised Reactor UK EPR™ reactor units, giving a total site capacity of approximately 3,340MW, along with associated development required for the construction or operation of the Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station or to mitigate its impacts.

The Sizewell C Project comprises the main nuclear power station facility and associated developments in order to facilitate construction and operation of the nuclear power station including;

• • Off-shore cooling water infrastructure and other marine works,
  • Temporary construction areas and the relocation, demolition and replacement of certain existing ancillary facilities associated with the operational Sizewell B nuclear power station,
  • A number of associated development works away from the main site which are required to facilitate construction or operation, including;
  • Two temporary park and ride sites to manage traffic generated by the construction workforce,
  • Permanent road bypasses, link roads and highway improvements to alleviate traffic and mitigate road safety effects during construction and operation,
  • Temporary freight management facilities during construction; and
  • Temporary and permanent extensions and improvements to existing railway infrastructure.
  • Temporary and permanent extensions and improvements to existing railway infrastructure.

The proposed development has been identified as a project within the scope of paragraph 2 of Appendix 1 to the Espoo Convention as implemented by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (“the EIA Regulations”) (UK legislation).

Consequently, the Secretary of State has twice screened the proposal, once at pre-application stage and a second time on receipt of the application. The screening determination on both occasions is that the proposed development is not likely to have significant adverse transboundary effects on the environment in this State. However, the Secretary of State decided to notify Ireland as if the development is likely to have significant adverse transboundary effects on the environment in this State, as provided for in Article 3(1) of the Espoo Convention. The screening assessment is available at:

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/document/EN010012-002271

The letter of 8 July 2020 provides details of where further information on the proposed development can be found on the UK’s PINS website

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/the-sizewell-c-project.

How to Participate

The letter of 8 July 2020 from the UK’s PINS can be accessed in the “Documents” section below, together with the documents appearing to be most relevant for the purposes of the transboundary consultation.  A printed copy of these documents, including extracts from the applicant’s Environmental Statement, will be available for public inspection during office hours in each local authority office from Wednesday 2 September 2020. However, due to the effects of Covid19 inspection of these documents may be by appointment only. It is advised that contact is made with your local authority prior to travelling to view the documentation, in order to clarify if you need to make an appointment. A copy may be purchased from the authority at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of copying.   All documentation related to the development consent application for the proposed development, including additional or amending documentation accepted at the discretion of the UK’s PINS, is also available to view on the website of the UK’s PINS at:

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/the-sizewell-c-project.

Privacy Statement

• The Privacy Statement is required regardless of whether your authority chooses to publish the submissions or a summary of the submissions, but if any local authority intends to publish the submissions, this information should be included in the privacy statement.
• The legal basis for processing the personal data under Article 6(1)(c) and 6(1)(e) of the GDPR Regulation and 132(4) and 132(5) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended.
• Article 132(4) of the 2001 Regulations requires the local authorities to consult with the Minister, following the receipt of any submission or observations - this involves sending on a copy of the submissions/observations received, including any submission the authority wishes to make and a summary of those submissions/obs, as requested by the UK Planning Inspectorate
• Article 132(5) of the 2001 Regulations requires each planning authority, following consultation with the Minister, to consult with the UK – sending on a copy of the submissions/observations received, including any submission the authority wishes to make and a summary of those submissions/obs, as requested by the UK Planning Inspectorate.
• The privacy statement needs to state that you will be sharing the submissions/obs and a summary of same with the Minister and that the submissions will also be sent on to the UK Planning Inspectorate. The UK Planning Inspectorate will publish your submission or a summary of same on its website.
• The Department will be including the below paragraph in its privacy statement, I’m including it in case any planning authority wishes to do so as well

“Processing of special categories of personal data

Under Article 9(1) of the GDPR regulations, the processing of personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation is prohibited. Therefore, DLRCC requests those making submissions not to include data of this nature in their submission.