Together Against Sizewell C get their day in court
Posted: 30th March 2023
Numerous members from Together Against Sizewell C, as well as representatives from supporting organisations Suffolk Coastal Friends of the Earth and Stop Sizewell C attended the High Court in London last week to hear TASC’s Sizewell C judicial review hearing. Others watched the court proceedings that took place on 22nd and 23rd March via video link.
In advance of the hearing, TASC’s lawyers, Leigh Day, published a press release summarising the legal arguments. TASC are extremely grateful to our legal team, Rowan Smith from Leigh Day and barristers, David Wolfe KC, Dr Ashley Bowes and Ruchi Parekh, who presented a comprehensive and robust case in court, setting out the reasons why we consider the Secretary of State’s decision to approve the Sizewell C project unlawful.
At the end of the two day hearing, the judge, Mr Justice Holgate, advised that he would reserve judgement. This will enable him to consider the arguments before arriving at his decision, which is expected in a few weeks’ time.
‘There are members of the TASC committee who have worked tirelessly on researching this case and worked closely with the legal team (you know who you are). We are indebted to you, the legal team were extremely impressed with TASCs submissions, a massive thank you to all who contributed to the case’.
Jenny Kirtley TASC Chair.
The court hearing was widely reported, including: -
ITV Anglia
BBC News
The Independent
East Anglian Daily Times
TASC’s time in court has only been possible because of the kind generosity of our supporters including those who have donated via our Crowd Justice fundraiser, the proceeds of which get paid directly to Leigh Day. We have not quite reached our target to meet all of our anticipated legal costs, so any further contributions will be greatly appreciated.
TASC will keep you updated as events unfold.
Many thanks from all at TASC.
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY ISSUES 3 Environmental Permits for Sizewell C
The Environment Agency (EA) press release is available Here
Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) is appalled that the Environment Agency (EA), whose remit is to ‘protect and improve the environment and improve the quality of our water, land and air by tackling pollution’ is willing to sanction the wholesale contamination that Sizewell C will inflict on sea, land and air of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. No matter which way the EA spins it or to whom they defer in their calculations to demonstrate the ‘safety’ of Sizewell C’s radiological and other discharges, the Agency can’t escape the fact that the accurate calculation of Sizewell C’s health and environmental impacts from the atmospheric and marine discharges it authorises remains largely unknown. TASC is concerned that the EA has failed to assess the ecological impact caused by hundreds of millions of small and juvenile fish which, along with vast quantities of other marine biota, will be entrained and killed in Sizewell C’s cooling water system and discharged back to the Sizewell Bay, each and every year of its 60 years of operation.
See Dr Peter Henderson’s excellent report for TASCs DCO submission to the planning inspectorate regarding the impacts Sizewell C will have on the marine environment.
‘Sizewell C will not affect a single drop of water supplied to East Suffolk residents.’
Well, that was what EDF stated in their SZC Community Newsletter March 2023
Water companies, whoever they are, are committed to supplying the public with clean drinking, potable water, above all other usage. So just where will SZC get the water they need to build and run the two new nuclear power stations, three when you include SZB. Despite EDF’s pledge it looks like they will be a drain on East Suffolk’s scarce water supplies after all – see EDF’s planning application below.
East Suffolk Council Planning Application DC/23/0756/FUL End date 22/04/23.
On the 27th of February 2023 NNB Generation Company (SZC) Ltd submitted a planning application for the development of a temporary “Water Sourcing Facility” for Sizewell C comprising a pipeline connection to a mains water supply, three water tanks and pumping infrastructure, HGV and car parking, mobile welfare building and security kiosk, site access and internal road layout construction compound, landscaping. Drainage infrastructure and security features (fencing, CCTV, lighting, gates and barriers) | Site Of SZC Freight Management Facility Felixstowe Road Levington, Suffolk
This water source at Levington (which last TASC heard is in East Suffolk), on the outskirts of Ipswich will involve up to 108 lorry movements a day carrying water to the Sizewell C construction site, until a desalination plant is built 3 years into the build.
If you have concerns, please respond to the consultation by 22nd April 2023