Onshore energy developments

[Adapted extract from GreenSnape Newsletter for May 2019]

Since the last newsletter the GreenSnape committee has been active in responding to the proposed industrial building developments by Scottish Power Renewables and National Grid Ventures.  Our response to Scottish Power’s consultation can be read on the village website www.snapevillage.info.  GreenSnape has also helped to form the Anglian Energy Planning Alliance which brings together most of the local groups campaigning against the proposals.  GreenSnape committee member Graeme Murray is its Chair.

We think that challenging these developments meets GreenSnape’s aim of “opposing any plans or actions that, in the view of the Committee, would damage or be detrimental to the environment in and around Snape”.   One effect if the proposals go ahead would be to bring heavy construction traffic through Snape for several years.  The planned development carves a huge cable corridor through our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty from Thorpeness beach almost to Friston, and culminates in a vast estate of ugly industrial power buildings - each covering at least 10 acres of previously unspoiled land, and most of them higher than Snape church.  These would be just the first of many, as more new offshore windfarms are due to be permitted.

The welcome energy from offshore wind turbines needs to be brought ashore.  But opponents believe that there are viable alternatives to the current scheme, which will destroy landscape and wildlife irreparably, damage tourism and be entirely out of place, and out of scale, in our quiet rural area.