National Grid - Eurolink consultation
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL NATIONAL GRID INFRASTRUCTURE ON WALBERSWICK BEACH
It has been a shock to all of us to have received a mass mailing from National Grid through our letter boxes that suggests they are considering using Walberswick's beach as one of four possible landing sites for a Multi-Purpose Interconnecter (MPI) between the Netherlands and the UK. Follow the link to see more information from National Grid (Note: Opens in a new window)
There have been indications for some time from National Grid that they were considering this landing in the vicinity of Thorpeness/Aldeburgh; however, none of us had heard of any proposals to use Southwold, Walberswick or Dunwich beaches as is now being suggested.
National Grid has had absolutely no prior consultation with, or notification to, Walberswick Parish Council or Walberswick Common Lands Charity (WCLC), who own Cliff Field, on which National Grid's proposal would be built; obviously this is a wholly unacceptable situation. Both the Parish Council and WCLC have immediately contacted National Grid to insist that they hold a Public Meeting in Walberswick during the "non-statutory" consultation period announced in their mailing of 24 October - 18 December. Follow the link to see a copy of the WCLC letter to National Grid
Currently the nearest public consultation event to Walberswick will be held at Stella Peskett Hall in Southwold, on Wednesday 30 November from 10am – 4pm. We would encourage members of the Parish to attend this consultation event anyway and in the meantime we will continue to push for a consultation event to be held in Walberswick itself. It is at such a meeting that National Grid will have to explain their proposal and concerned residents and visitors can attend to raise questions and issues. This will very much be a first step and additional action will need to be determined following this initial period.
All relevant information and updates will be posted on this website
Andrew Lewis & James Darkins
Chairs, Walberswick Parish Council and Walberswick Common Lands Charity