SEAS UPDATE 129 - PETITION UPDATE / WALL MEETING


Dear Friends and Supporters, 


1. Petition Update

At the end of week 3, the petition is now standing at a healthy 6706 signatures. We have tweaked some of the imagery (see below) to increase the instinctive urge to sign, and included extra arguments to make our case stronger.



Don't forget our easy URL seascoast.org to share with your networks.

We have also made some easy-to-distribute Petition Strips for people to print, cut and hand out to people they meet. Please Download/Print the Petition Strips HERE



 

2. WALL Meeting

Thanks to WALL (Walberswick Against LionLink) for organising an excellent community meeting last Saturday.  

This talented, professional group gave specialist presentations including legal, ecology, fundraising and offshore solutions and set out a clear way forward with Phase 1 (research/ surveys/pre-Statutory Consultation for LionLink) and, should LionLink choose Walberswick, Phase 2 (proceeding with resistance to the Development Consent Order). Their organisational structure is inspirational for each local community group. 

SEAS was thanked for their continuing efforts in defending the Heritage Coast as a whole and there was recognition that everyone needs to work together in an integrated and efficient way. The pan-specialist groups such as Ecology are crucial because this is the best way to ensure that the surveys are carried out correctly and the findings are valid in the event of a DCO examination.

It is SEAS plan and hope that in 2024 we will see a bringing together of all the regional groups, sharing experiences and information to form one strong voice. 

SEAS is currently setting up an organisational structure to ensure that by Easter we have a stronger and more focused team. More news on this in March. 



3. PRESS re: Competition emerging to pressure National Grid and remind Government of better solutions

New Danish venture to develop Energy Islands - One route to put further pressure on Government and National Grid is through other developers who can offer more innovative and cost-effective solutions, read about it HERE

Octopus energy plan competition to National Grid's monopoly on energy infrastructure - read about it HERE
 
Thank you all for your continued support.

Yours as always,


The SEAS Team
 

Offshore Grid is BEST
Better, Cheaper, Faster
 
info@suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk
https://www.suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk/
 

Dear Friends and Supporters, 


1. PETITION UPDATE

An Incredible Start! 4448 signatures as of 4.35pm on Tue 16 January, just 1 week on from launch.



We at SEAS would like to express our gratitude to those who have signed and shared our PETITION. Please KEEP sharing the FILM with friends, and colleagues, ALL OVER the country, there are over 30 million visitors to Suffolk each year - they care that the Coast and Heathlands are protected, not despoiled.

Our Voices Matter

It’s time for Secretary of State Claire Coutinho to listen and for National Grid to build an offshore transmission network system for the future.

For those that haven’t managed to sign yet and for ease of sharing we have created the URL  seascoast.org  

Please continue to ask friends and family to sign.


We reiterate that our offshore grid solution is: 
CHEAPER for UK Consumers.
QUICKER to net zero.
BETTER for the ENVIRONMENT and COMMUNITIES.

CHEAPER:

  • Pooling energy offshore gives overall asset cost efficiencies, e.g. fewer substations and cable trenches onshore (50% less onshore infrastructure and impact).
  • National Grid's own figures from their 2020 report (p.15) conclude there would be a c.£2bn (30%) cost saving for East Anglia alone, by using a network design with significant offshore coordination (pooling offshore/offshore grid) and taking power offshore closer to demand, compared to a radial solution (where each project connects to the nearest point on the coast).

QUICKER:
  • Reduced onshore infrastructure and cabling.
  • Transporting power offshore using subsea cables with landfall at brownfield sites, reduces delays associated with onshore consenting processes. National Grid was only too pleased to announce that Eastern Green Link 2, a subsea HVDC cable between brownfield sites Peterhead in Scotland and Drax in Yorkshire, taking power closer to where it is needed, had planning consent by all necessary authorities approved in record time.

BETTER:
  • Significantly reduced impact (Figure 2-4 p.10) on environment and communities, due to greatly reduced landfalls and onshore impact (see table 2-3 p.11 / c.30% of the onshore footprint required without offshore coordination)


2. PRESS COVERAGE THIS WEEK

There was plenty of quality coverage for our Ralph Fiennes' film 'Coast' and National Petition  - read it all HERE

We are however very concerned that the media is obsessed with the Pylons when they should be focusing on the benefits of offshore solutions and brownfield sites.  An offshore grid using the North Sea as a transmission corridor, taking power closer to demand and then onshore at brownfield sites, would reduce the number of massive onshore substations and converters, and reduce the need for destructive cabling and pylons, leaving our precious virgin countryside for future generations.

SEAS has been working with the BBC Look East's editors and researchers to clarify their mistake in presenting Ralph Fiennes' 'Coast' as a film about pylons (which they admitted as an error). Our Press Release made it 100% clear that we were referring to the Friston and Saxmundham proposed Hubs. Ralph Fiennes does not mention pylons once. We have made a formal complaint and we expect them to ensure accuracy in future.


A GREAT FIRST WEEK but this is just the beginning. We can keep building momentum, and also look to attract the kind of influencers whose social media followings can help us send this petition and campaign viral.

 
Yours as always


The SEAS Team
 

Offshore Grid is BEST
Better, Cheaper, Faster

SEAS Petition Launch / Ralph Fiennes Film 'Coast'


Dear Friends and Supporters, 


National Petition and Film Launch

Today we are excited to launch our National Petition via change.org to gain maximum attention for our campaign - please sign and share.

Alongside it is a brilliant new film 'COAST' made especially for SEAS by Ralph Fiennes and Director Charles Sturridge, with many film crew and animators also giving up their time for free.

This film superbly captures what we have to lose and the key arguments why current plans must be changed.

We have worded the PETITION with the intention of gathering as many like-minded people as possible nationally and to make signing it a no-brainer.

It begins: "Stop the needless destruction of our coast and countryside by National Grid".

If we were to get to 100,000 signatures our petition could be debated in Parliament, and if not it is still a powerful tool to use with the press and in our discussions with Government and National Grid.

Let’s start 2024 with a BANG, sign and spread the petition https://chng.it/4xDJkMbJNw throughout your direct networks and via social media, making this petition go VIRAL!

All best wishes for a great year ahead.


The SEAS Team

Fiona, Glynis, Rhett and David
 

Offshore Grid is BEST
Better, Cheaper, Faster
 
info@suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk
https://www.suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk/
 

SEAS is mainly run by volunteers and we are grateful for all donations that allow us to continue our work on behalf of us all. If you are able to donate to support our team and this Newsletter we would hugely appreciate it - See our new easy-to-use GoFundMe Campaign.


P.S. PLEASE PASS ON THIS UPDATE TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED


SEAS Update 125 - Review of 2023 / Onwards in 2024


Dear Friends and Supporters, 

Happy New Year and may 2024 bring good news for us all.   In the meantime here is a round-up of last year’s activities.


A Review of 2023

January: We started the year working with our advocacy team directly lobbying the Government for a meeting.  We promoted Therese Coffey's parliamentary petition opposing National Grid's plans and proposing brownfield onshore sites for infrastructure.  DEFRA issued new legally binding environmental targets for biodiversity to protect 30% of the World’s land and sea biodiversity by 2030 (30 by 30), and RSPB made its application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the East Coast’s wetlands which would contribute to 30 by 30.

February: SEAS sent a REPLY pushing back against each of the points made in BEIS Minister Graham Stuart's Letter to East Anglian Communities.  EADT published an article inspired by a letter from SEAS promoting offshore solutions and appealing to local councils to get up to speed.  Therese Coffey met Minister Stuart and renewed her call for the brownfield site of Bradwell-on-Sea to be considered.  DESNZ was created to supposedly bring renewed focus to achieving Net Zero.

March: SEAS featured in a BBC film, speaking about the blight to Suffolk Coastal's environment, tourism and communities that National Grid's proposals would cause, effectively industrialising the area.  National Grid ESO announced a review of offshore transmission routes for East Anglia, summarised in an article by the OffSET group's James Cartlidge MP HERE.

April: The Government published an updated energy strategy "Powering Up Britain" along with a raft of other energy policies.  SEAS, SASES and Stop Sizewell C co-hosted a HUSTINGS at Aldeburgh Church for candidates for the East Suffolk Council council elections for the Aldeburgh & Leiston Wards.  RSPB moved one step closer to UNESCO World Heritage status, EADT article HERE. In other news, we announced the results of our Limerick Competition.

May: SEAS finally got a meeting with DESNZ, holding a successful Aldeburgh meeting with Nuclear and Networks Minister Andrew Bowie MP - see details HERE.  At the North Sea Summit, the Government and National Grid relaunch Eurolink as LionLink.  SEAS took part in a virtual meeting with DESNZ as part of the Community Benefits Consultation process.  Greens swept the East Suffolk Council elections, EADT article HERE.  Disruptive surveys for LionLink, Sealink, EA1N and EA2 began.

June: Fiona Gilmore was on BBC Radio Suffolk talking about an Offshore Grid.  Politics East from Aldeburgh featured 4 MPs discussing energy plans for the area and all endorsing an Offshore Grid - also see relevant Newsletters 93 and 94.

July: We provided advice on how to respond to Sealink's land ownership questionnaire.  SEAS pushed back against misleading and disingenuous figures mentioned in the media by National Grid (NGET) (see Newsletter 97).  The call went out in Newsletter 98 to write to DESNZ Secretary of State Grant Shapps on this issue, calling for a meeting before the summer recess, and many of you wrote emails and letters.  SEAS Judicial Review to overturn the planning approval for substations at Friston went against us but we believed the judgement was flawed, and after consideration with our legal team, we prepared to apply to appeal the decision - our Press Release.  DESNZ publishes its response to the OTNR consultation with proposals for an enduring regime and Future Framework to deliver energy transition - see SEAS Commentary on the OTNR report.  SEAS met with NGET and NGV in Aldeburgh and confirmed that National Grid's numbers quoted in the press were not comparing like for like.

August: The Government published the UK’s Electricity Networks Commissioner Winser Report on how to accelerate the deployment of electricity transmission infrastructure - see the SEAS Response Press Release.  We celebrated our 100th Newsletter reviewing all we had achieved together over the previous 4 years.  SEAS appeared in Aldeburgh Carnival.  Fiona Gilmore spoke to RECHARGE in an article 'Blighted' about the need for a UK network infrastructure revolution.  SEAS and Pylons sent a joint letter to Minister Andrew Bowie correcting National Grid's costs and addressing other arguments.

September: LionLink public consultations began on 8 September.   Walberswick, Southwold and Reydon join the fight and set up their own campaign groups WALL and RAID to gain local support in opposing LionLink’s destructive plans.  We get diverse coverage in national press including The Sun and The Times - see point 5 in Newsletter 105.  Another new Secretary of State for DESNZ Claire Coutinho was announced see BBC coverage.  The latest wind auction round sees no bidders and we launch our 'Pilot Projects for an Offshore Grid' proposal to alert Claire Coutinho to seize this opportunity.  SEAS launch our GoFundMe campaign to which many of you have contributed.  The Green, LibDem, Independent alliance shifts East Suffolk Council to become a supporter of an offshore grid - see HERE. 

October: LionLink consultations end with a fantastic turnout, 1200 attended across all three sites.  We provide guidance and many of you submit feedback to the consultation.  SEAS JR Appeal is granted. Sealink statutory Public Consultation launches on 24 October and SEAS mobilises resistance and engagement.  Multiple press coverage for SEAS and our companion campaigns, SEAS feature on ITV and in the New York Times, SASES on BBC Radio Suffolk and WALL in EADT see coverage HERE.  SEAS submits its formal response to the NGV LionLink Non-Statutory Public Consultation.

November: More opposition groups are set up  ‘Don’t Destroy Aldeburgh’ (DDA) and 'Saxmundham Against Needless Destruction’ (SAND).  More great press coverage, a BBC Article about Sealink and BBC Radio coverage from the Sealink consultations featuring SEAS.  SEAS hold a Sealink Public Meeting in Saxmundham which is a great success - see Newsletter 116.  Therese Coffey asks her first House of Commons backbench question since leaving DEFRA, about the impact of energy infrastructure on the East Suffolk coast and her campaign for Bradwell-on-Sea to become the onshore site for Lionlink, Sealink and EA1N & EA2.  A total of more than 1000 people attend the Sealink consultations a great turnout.  Fiona Gilmore gives oral evidence at an Energy Security and Net Zero select committee inquiry  'A flexible grid for the future' - watch highlights HERE.

December: A final push by SEAS and supporters sees a tremendous volume of emails and letters sent to National Grid Sealink with feedback about the consultation.  SEAS send their formal response to the Sealink Consultation.  SEAS David McKenna is quoted in a BBC article about the Sealink consultations.  An EADT article features SEAS Fiona Gilmore who believes National Grid ESO will carry out a 'comparative study' into bringing the cables onshore at Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex VS a new substation at Friston.

Throughout the year SEAS continued to engage with other campaign groups SASES, Save our Sandlings, Norfolk Parish Movement, Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons, Save Minster Marshes, The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, Save our Sands (Saunton Sands).

England, Wales and Scotland are all experiencing the threat of ill-conceived onshore energy infrastructure plans resulting in the needless industrialisation of swathes of countryside.  We hope that it does not come to lying in front of the HGVs to make our point as was the case in this inspiring story of 1969.
 
Most importantly, we have grown an engaged supporter base of many hundreds of people who receive our Newsletter and hundreds more via social media, many of whom have written letters and campaigned with us, and many who have donated generously to help this campaign make an impact where it matters. 
 
We would not have been ABLE to do the work without YOU.  Thank you all and a big thank you to our volunteers and to our task management team who give up valuable time to campaign. 


Onwards in 2024
We are now moving towards another milestone as we prepare for the JR in February and for meetings with National Grid.  We still have to raise money to pay for the JR and for specialist reports and advocacy.  Please continue to support SEAS at this time.  We thank all our donors for their help.  We have hope that we can win the day.  Logic, reason and technology are on our side.  And a passion to protect what matters to future generations.

Best wishes,

The SEAS Team
 


Offshore Grid is BEST
Better, Cheaper, Faster
info@suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk
https://www.suffolkenergyactionsolutions.co.uk/
 

SEAS is mainly run by volunteers and we are grateful for all donations that allow us to continue our work on behalf of us all. If you are able to donate to support our team and this Newsletter we would hugely appreciate it - See our new easy-to-use GoFundMe Campaign.


P.S. PLEASE PASS ON THIS UPDATE TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED
 

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