Mrs Sue Fatch-Lovesey, Local Community Liaison Officer, Vattenfall, addressed this Council on 05 March and delivered a presentation updating Members and public of the recent amendments to Vattenfall’s proposed development. The presentation is available to view here.

Vattenfall Sub-station proposal update March 2018      This presentation contains a link to a GIS live link map – simply click on the map to be taken to the live map that will allow zoom into detail.

Following the presentation, individual councillors were invited to ask questions.  Here is a summary of these questions:

• A number of affected landowners have provided written statements confirming they have not been consulted with regard to possible access and use of their land. Why have they not been consulted in this process?
• Vattenfall were offered two alternative sites, both of which were identified as viable sites by an independent consultant. There appears to have been no adequate investigation by Vattenfall of their potential. Why not?
• The proposed site is on private land, so very difficult to see the potential impact. The chosen site is on the highest ground. Photomontages made available by Vattenfall were mis-leading and too small to provide adequate representation of the identified site. It was stated that the consultation has been ‘a shambles and should be started again and run professionally.
• It was considered that the most recent newsletter does not provide adequate information relating to the sub-station at Necton.
• Will the proposed right hand filter lane at Spicer’s Corner be a permanent feature or just for the period of construction?
• The existing Dudgeon site entrance (where National Grid is located) had a traffic management plan which did not operate as designed. (Traffic arriving from the east did not adhere to the route and simply used a layby to turn, causing congestion.) Will this site, which will be used for the National Grid extension works, have the same traffic management plan?
• This proposed site may be a magnet for terrorism and it is designed to be un-manned. What provision will Vattenfall establish to protect from terrorism?
• Arable crops, which will be up against the site’s fence lines are a significant fire risk. Has this risk been assessed?
• Is this revised proposal for Necton larger than originally suggested during consultation in the summer of 2017?

Twelve members of the public were present at this meeting and a some of these people asked the following questions:

• A resident expressed concern about the potential noise levels from the proposed development and it did not seem that the research on noise to-date is sufficient.
• Concern also expressed about the lack of consideration in the proposal of the longer-term impact in terms of health, flooding, etc.
• A resident asked if some of this infrastructure could be located underground.
• A resident asked that the landscape views take a wider aspect.
• Another resident expressed concern about potential light pollution.
• A resident asked what advantage is HVDC to Necton, given the main noise emitter; the transformers will be located outside.

Some of these questions received initial responses at the meeting and there was a commitment to respond in full to Council following the meeting.  Further updates will be published.