Adam Rowlands, RSPB Suffolk area manager said: “We’ve been completely blown away that over 100,000 people have taken action to protect wildlife at RSPB Minsmere, Sizewell Marshes SSSI and beyond from Sizewell C. “We want to say a massive thank you to everyone that spoke up to protect the nature that’s not only so important to us here in Suffolk, but across the globe too.”. How Sizewell C with its twin reactors could look alongside plants A and B on Suffolk's coast Watch Tanya Mercer's report More than 100 thousand people have now signed a petition calling for the proposed Sizewell C power station to be scrapped over fears it will damage Minsmere Nature Reserve. But EDF refute the claims and say they’re putting mitigating measures in place and creating new habitats. Marsh harrier, bittern, otters and bats are just some of the rare species here. The build would destroy an area equivalent to 10 football pitches of this reserve which could have catastrophic impacts on a range of rare species like bats and natterjack toads. Yoxford, some 94 miles (151 km) north-east of London and 25 miles (40 km) … However, t he Sizewell Estate, on the southern boundary of Minsmere , is where EDF plan to build a new nuclear power station, Sizewell C. The net biodiversity gain that will come with Sizewell C, together with our contribution to net zero carbon emissions is as positive for wildlife as it will be for local people.". But there are concerns this time could be more detrimental. We have to have infrastructure projects that are aligned with nature and mean that nature is better served. The conservation charities say the building process – which will be the largest construction site in Europe and last for a decade or more – will have a massive impact on the reserve. However, t he Sizewell Estate, on the southern boundary of Minsmere , is where EDF plan to build a new nuclear power station, Sizewell C. The RSPB has put its adverts outside EDF offices and at bust stops Providing low-lying wetland habitat with more than 120,000 reedbeds over 67ha, it has been colonised by rare marsh harriers which also breed at Minsmere. It's right on the Suffolk Coast Path; you can walk south to Sizewell and Aldeburgh, north to Walberswick and Southwold, or inland to Dunwich Forest or Heath and the popular RSPB reserve at Minsmere. “One of the places most at risk is Sizewell Marshes, a protected wildlife site which we manage here at Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Watch Tanya Mercer's reportMore than 100 thousand people have now signed a petition calling for the proposed Sizewell C power station to be scrapped over fears it will damage Minsmere Nature Reserve. "The UK Government is committed to addressing climate change. This newspaper has been a central part of community life for many years. Over 100,000 people are concerned about Sizewell C’s impacts on nature A big thank you to all 104,836 of you who shared the RSPB and Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s concerns about Sizewell C’s potential impacts on… The Trust will be informed by the work we have undertaken with several stakeholders over the years, including the local authorities, on the future vision of the Sizewell estate. "And we’ve carefully designed our plans around the local wildlife, including that at RSPB Minsmere. Check out our handy ‘know before you go’ guide to make your visit a huge success!. So we've spread the message far and wide. We cannot address the climate crisis by exacerbating the diodiversity crisis. Plans to build a new nuclear reactor in Suffolk have split opinion, both in the locally and further afield, ever since they were first announced.Last year the RSPB and Suffolk Wildlife Trust launched their Love Minsmere campaign – asking people to pledge their support to concerns over Sizewell C nuclear power station. EDF’s huge Sizewell C nuclear project is a white elephant - before it has even begun. EDF proposes building a twin nuclear reactor at a cost of £20 billion pounds. - Credit: RSPB. Minsmere is one of Europe's most important nature reserves and a home to more than 6,000 species of plants and animals. Legally protected animals like otters, water voles and marsh harriers could lose their homes, and toxic chemicals and up to 3 million dead fish could be pumped into the sea each year. "We do not agree with EDF's conclusions around likely net gain arising from the development due to the replacement of higher value habitats with those of lower value, the time for habitats to reach target condition, the biodiversity value of existing habitats, the requirement to first demonstrate mitigation measures are adequate before counting additional benefits as net gain, and the loss of a significant proportion of Sizewell Marshes SSSI.". Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN Location and governance. He hopes the two sides can work together as they did before. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. There is no doubt that wildlife can thrive around power stations and Sizewell C would be no exception. It is also known for its antique shops and (as "Loxford") for providing the setting for a Britten opera. RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk, which neighbours the proposed Sizewell C plant, said it was concerned EDF energy may not … “However, over 100,000 people giving Suffolk’s nature a voice gives us hope. Under Sizewell C (SZC) plans, a new road will cleave the entire AONB in half from east to west, forming a congested rat-run to the narrow A12 and Yoxford village, clogging its already narrow and parked-up high street. The RSPB Love Minsmere campaign launched a national advertising campaign last week targeting EDF Energy offices with more experts and wildlife campaigners backing its fight against the £20billion project. "Inspired by a similar project in Dorset, we envisage the Trust would manage the ongoing re-wilding and biodiversity of the Sizewell estate. For more details of these cookies and how to disable them, see our cookie policy. A spokeswoman for Sizewell C said: "Sizewell C will boost biodiversity. Chris Packham, Bill Turnbull, Anthony Horowitz, Iolo Williams, Emma Kennedy, Miranda Krestovinkoff, Dr Amir Khan, Hannah Stitfall, Julia Bradbury and Deborah Meaden all expressed their support. Avocets – the bird that appears on the RSPB’s logo – started breeding again in the UK at Minsmere in 1947 after an absence of more than 100 years and continue to thrive. The RSPB have been fighting this proposal every step of the way since it was proposed in 2012. They say: "The build could destroy an area equivalent to 10 football pitches of protected wildlife site Sizewell Marshes. Sizewell C will not encroach onto RSPB Minsmere but our plans will safeguard wildlife on the reserve as well as in the surrounding area. Suffolk (/ ˈ s ʌ f ə k /) is an East Anglian county of historic origin in England. However, the wait is truly worth it and the excellent food is a perfect accompaniment to your seaside holiday in one of our Aldeburgh coastal cottages. Thank you for wanting to help to save RSPB Minsmere and Sizewell Marshes! However, in June a consent order application for Sizewell C was accepted by Planning Inspectorate for further examination. There's six hectares of low-lying wetland reed beds and sixty hectares of heathland. "We will not waver in our commitment to protecting wildlife and contributing to the rich biodiverse landscape of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Hideous, poorly screened, large and out of character car parks and roundabouts will make this … Bill Turnbull has warned of the stress fireworks will cause pets. We have also invested in other local sites, such as Broom Covert, cultivating the area over many years to host reptiles. Sizewell C would put an area of outstanding natural beauty, a site of special scientific interest and an eroding coastline nextdoor to the largest construction site in Europe. Bill Turnbull has warned of the stress fireworks will cause pets. Almost 105,000 people have signed a petition, pledging their support to reserve - something that RSPB President, Miranda Krestovnikoff, was heartened to see. The #LoveMinsmere e-action closed on Monday, and we’re so thankful that over 100,000 of you spoke up for the nature at Minsmere and Sizewell Marshes. Aldeburgh is world-renowned thanks to its connection with Benjamin Britten, the founder of the Aldeburgh Festival, which takes place in June every year.Pastel-coloured 19th Century … Sizewell: RSPB Minsmere nature reserve fears 'environmental ... www.bbc.com. "Our Aldhurst Farm Wetland Creation scheme near Leiston is already firmly established. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowestoft, Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, and Felixstowe, one of the … An avocet at RSPB Minsmere The concern is that having a construction site extending over 620 acres on the border of the reserve will have a dramatic impact on the wildlife. "We will continue to work with the RSPB who are a valued neighbour, and we are confident our plans will not have a negative impact on this internationally important site. Avocets – the bird that appears on the RSPB’s logo – started breeding again in the UK at Minsmere in 1947 after an absence of more than 100 years and continue to thrive. This action is now closed. If Sizewell C was to be given the go ahead, it would take at least 10 years to build and miles of the Suffolk countryside could be lost. EDF Energy are planning to build a new nuclear power station, Sizewell C, directly on the border of RSPB Minsmere, which is home to over 6000 different kinds of … The same issues and arguments were put forward before in the 90s when Sizewell B was designed and constructed. 104,836 people made our voice stronger for nature and told the Planning Inspectorate that Sizewell C must not … "We intend to continue our history of stewardship, with the estate due to grow by a third (to around 800 hectares) should the construction of Sizewell C go ahead. Ben McFarland, Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s head of conservation, said: “We’re delighted that so many people have taken a stand for Suffolk’s nature. "At Sizewell, we’re not only working to address climate change. It is a highly inappropriate site for a new power station.”, Hey @edfenergy, have you got the message yet? Sizewell C is threatening nature’s home. Sizewell C would save nine million tonnes of carbon emissions for each year of operation compared to a gas-fired power station. EDF said it was sharing its work with environmental groups. The RSPB’s and Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s new #LoveMinsmere e-action has seen more than 50,000 people from around the UK step up and take action in a little over two weeks, calling to protect RSPB Minsmere and Sizewell Marshes from a new nuclear development at Sizewell C. We have a proud, decades-long tradition of successfully caring for the land surrounding the power station at Sizewell B. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN, The RSPB has put its adverts outside EDF offices and at bust stops, How Sizewell C with its twin reactors could look alongside plants A and B on Suffolk's coast, Horse found abandoned in field so over-bred rescuers thought she was a cow, Man killed in car fire named as former police chief, Plans lodged for 17 new homes in Suffolk village, 'Essex Boys' killer released from prison to live in Suffolk, Stu says: Five observations following Ipswich Town's 3-1 loss at Gillingham. The RSPB, which organised the Love Minsmere Festival, is opposed to Sizewell as a location for a new power station. "Just as the construction site around Sizewell B was regenerated and returned to a landscape fitting its AONB status, so will the temporary construction area for Sizewell C, with the land recultivated into a rich mosaic of heathland and acidic grassland, typical of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths. Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin launched the RSPB’s and Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s new #LoveMinsmere e-action during a live online event in November. Aldeburgh guide A traditional seaside escape. Campaigners say the message to the Planning Inspectorate and government is this landscape is too precious to risk. "We have already designated 250 hectares of land for wildlife as part of our plans for Sizewell C and started creating new habitats in 2015 to ensure wildlife is not just protected but encouraged to thrive. "Wholly within the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and impacting Sizewell Marshes SSSI and internationally famous RSPB Minsmere, this project should be dead in the water. Biodiversity is under threat from climate change, which is predicted to be the biggest single future challenge to wildlife. - Credit: Sarah Lucy Brown. Watch Tanya Mercer's report More than 100 thousand people have now signed a petition calling for the proposed Sizewell C power station to be scrapped over fears it will damage Minsmere Nature Reserve. The Sizewell C site will not encroach onto RSPB Minsmere, and where it does neighbour the border of the reserve, we only propose to create a water storage area that will be transformed into wet woodland habitat and reedbeds. What does £400k buy if you are house hunting in Suffolk? Yoxford is a village in East Suffolk, England close to the Heritage Coast, Minsmere Reserve (RSPB), Aldeburgh and Southwold. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station to be rejected because of its feared impact on an internationally-important nature reserve. Everything you need to know about East Anglia’s secret underground hideaway, Teen cyclist knocked off bike at A12 roundabout and left by driver, Covid infection rates continue to fall in Suffolk and Essex, Chambers on Town's Gillingham loss, Lambert's exit, Cook's appointment and his latest milestone. The location of Sizewell C will bring the development right up to the border of the RSPB Minsmere nature reserve. Every contribution will help us continue to produce local journalism that makes a measurable difference to our community. The fight is far from over. And here we are, twenty years later and there's no ill affect on the environment. - Credit: BRIAN SMITH / CITIZENSIDE.COM. It would be a slow, destructive and expensive bridge to nowhere that will suck vital funds away from renewable energy and storage that can fight climate change faster and more cheaply. The RSPB and SWT say if allowed to go ahead, the twin reactor Sizewell C would be built on the border of RSPB Minsmere and claim it could have "devastating consequences" for nature. Share this and act NOW at https://t.co/0mX3pcy4Ot #LoveMinsmere pic.twitter.com/9aDSo8fNS0, Why is the RSPB and SWT against Sizewell C. The RSPB and SWT say if allowed to go ahead, the twin reactor Sizewell C would be built on the border of RSPB Minsmere and claim it could have "devastating consequences" for nature. The RSPB and SWT say if allowed to go ahead, the twin reactor Sizewell C would be built on the border of RSPB Minsmere and claim it could have "devastating consequences" for nature. What does Sizewell C mean for nature? Why is Minsmere so important? Top things to do in Aldeburgh: Visit the Aldeburgh Fish and Chip Shop – based on Aldeburgh High Street, you’ll probably see the queue before you see the shop itself! "Experts like the WWF say the inextricable link between the two means tackling biodiversity loss and climate change together is essential. The North Sea lies to the east. The RSPB thanked everyone for their support. At a time of biodiversity crisis, we cannot continue to allow the environment and wildlife to be pushed aside. Radio and TV presenter Bill Turnbull lives nearby and is a big supporter of the Love Minsmere campaign. The petition - organised by the RSPB and Suffolk Wildlife Trust - reached 104,836 signatures on Monday when it closed and the details will be presented to the Planning Inspectorate, which is currently considering EDF's Development Consent Order application for the project. Declaring their interest, their passion, their anger that there is this threat on their doorsteps to this beautiful, biodiverse gem of nature. By using this site, you agree we can set and use cookies. One of the RSPB's new billboards "In the long term, should Sizewell C be granted development consent, we intend to establish an Environmental Trust to ensure the future Sizewell estate (equivalent in size to almost 1,000 football pitches) develops and thrives for many years to come. The number of people that have behind this campaign is enormous. It's potentially catastrophic. In fact, our plans will improve local biodiversity, resulting in a net gain in land for wildlife. - Credit: EDF Energy. As part of their plans they say they’re putting in measures to mitigate the impact on wildlife, including recreating habitats like the wetlands nearby. We are already putting in measures for the translocation of wildlife who will move during the construction of Sizewell C. Peter Skeet is a keen ornithologist and a retired engineer who worked on Sizewell B. Alongside HS2, think Minsmere, the RSPB’s jewel in the crown, threatened by Sizewell C, or the proposal for a million houses on “the Oxford-Cambridge arc”, most of which would be on green belt. Low carbon energy, from a mix of renewables and nuclear, is critical to achieving its legal commitment to cut CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. The RSPB and SWT say if allowed to go ahead, the twin reactor Sizewell C would be built on the border of RSPB Minsmere and claim it could have "devastating consequences" for nature. - Credit: RSPB. "We are proud of the contribution we have already made to biodiversity at Sizewell and committed to doing more. Our industry faces testing times, which is why we're asking for your support. RSPB Minsmere is recognised a s one of Europe’s most important areas for nature and is protected by multiple national and international nature conservation …