Here’s the match report for the march today in Saxmundham organised by SEAS against the connector hub for offshore wind power being proposed in Saxmundham and Friston. By the backdoor this transformer installation “the size of the Vatican City” will become part of Sizewell C and D’s electricity infrastructure as well so not only will there be massive disruption and harm from Sizewell’s expansion; the damage from these transformer farms will add to that too. Doubtless EDF and National Grid are trying to keep these issues apart in the public’s mind.
Something I learned today is that the enemy, National Grid, is not some ill-advised government quango but a multinational five billion pound turnover company. In the 1990’s dear old Maggie sold off the very backbone of the country to private investors who don’t care for about anything other than shareholders.
SEAS is in favour of offshore wind energy but against the current proposals for the delivery of that wind power to the grid because they will have a devastating impact on a unique onshore environment, social health and wellbeing, the local tourist economy and coastal communities. SEAS advocates for a smarter solution, using offshore integration and brownfield sites closer to where the power is needed.
We gathered at 10 am outside the market hall and then walked up past the Tesco to Castle Hill to the site of the connector station with the farmer whose land will be compulsory purchased. We heard from my ex-MP Nurse Teabag (as she was known in some parts of her constituency) who used to represent Saxmundham and Halesworth until the constituency was redrawn who says she opposes National Grid’s plans and supports SEAS. We also heard from some local councillors; I don’t recall their names or whether they were town, district or county councillors, but each of them needs to learn how to use a bloody megaphone. What I could hear was a bit too couched for me in that they were committed to finding a solution by working with National Grid. Cheers went up when someone said Suffolk County Council lacked moral fibre and jeers went up when it appears that the local MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour) had broken her promise to send someone from her team. If I was a betting person I would say that the crowd were typically Conservative voters but for their own and perfectly valid reasons the community widely oppose these plans. There seemed to be some cyncisim that the new government would pay much attention – after all this was once one of the safest Conservative seats in the UK – but reps for the Greens were in attendance and neighbouring MP Adrian Ramsey (Green) also opposes the plans. ITV Anglia and the EDP sent journalists so I hope it gets some coverage.
A point that I think should be stressed is that in the country one person attending a protest is equal to a thousand marchers in the city. We simple country folk have enormous challenges to overcome apart from agriculture being a 24/7 occupation such as poor transport links so perhaps 1000 people attending such a demo is a pretty solid message that there is stiff opposition amongst the people if not the politicians.
There’s several other groups working on this issue (I hope not to divide and conquer?) such as Saxmundham Against Needless Destruction on Facebook.
There’s a petition at you can sign here and watch the Ralph Fiennes film ‘Coast’ which puts what’s at stake succintly. https://youtu.be/320iAQ6Ox6U
