In November 2009 the government announced that Sizewell, amongst other sites, would be a suitable location for a new nuclear power station.
EDF Energy is bringing forward an application to construct and operate Sizewell C. Details of the proposals are available on EDF Energy’s Sizewell C pages.
In 2011 the National Policy Statements for Energy Infrastructure were approved. These contain the policies by which applications for major energy projects are judged, and as such, are relevant to the Sizewell proposals.
The Planning Inspectorate will determine the application, not the local councils.
However Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council are statutory consultees and will evaluate, challenge and comment upon the proposals for a new nuclear power station to get the best possible outcomes for the people of Suffolk.
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Stage |
Date/timescale |
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Stage One consultation: EDF Energy set out the background and context to the development |
Completed on 6 February 2013 |
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Stage Two consultation: a second formal stage of consultation |
From 23 November 2016 to 3 February 2017 |
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Stage Three consultation: a third stage of formal consultation |
From 4 January 2019 to 29 March 2019 |
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Stage Four consultation: a fourth stage of formal consultation, supplementary to the stage three consultation, focusing on specific issues |
From 18 July 2019 to 27 September 2019 |
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Submission of Development Consent Order (DCO) to the Planning Inspectorate |
27 May 2020 |
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Section 56 consultation (invitation to register as an Interest Party and submit Relevant Representations to the Planning Inspectorate) |
From 8 July to 30 September 2020 |
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Examination of the DCO by an Examining Authority appointed by the Planning Inspectorate |
Taking 6 months |
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Decision by the Secretary of State (SoS) |
Within 6 months after the end of the Examination |
Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council are working together to respond to EDF Energy’s proposals. Further information about the two councils’ work on Sizewell C including their formal joint responses to the Sizewell C consultations are available on the joint local authority page on eastsuffolk.gov.uk.
Suffolk County Council’s Relevant Representation
The Council submitted its Relevant Representation to the Planning Inspectorate on 28 September 2020, following a debate and decision at a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet on 22 September 2020.
The Relevant Representation provides a summary of the Council’s views on the proposals put forward in the Development Consent Order (DCO) application and identifies the key topics and issues have the Council wishes to see addressed during the examination stage.
Read Suffolk Council Council’s Relevant Representation (PDF, 513KB).
Suffolk County Council’s response to Sizewell C consultation on proposed changes
In November/December 2020, EDF Energy held a 30-day consultation regarding some amendments to its Sizewell C DCO application, with a particular focus on proposals to move more freight to marine and rail-based transport modes.
Read Suffolk County Council’s response to the EDF Energy consultation on proposed changes (PDF, 509KB).
Review of Sizewell C Bat Impact Assessment
Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council, working closely with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, commissioned an independent review of the bat impact assessment.
This review will inform the Councils’ discussions with EDF Energy, in order to improve the Sizewell C proposals for mitigation to ensure they will not have a significant adverse effect on bats.
Read the:
- covering letter from Suffolk County Councillor Richard Rout and East Suffolk Councillor Craig Rivett to EDF Energy (PDF, 153KB)
- review of the Sizewell C Bat Impact Assessment (PDF, 911KB)
Sizewell C Power Export Connection review
In light of Suffolk County Council’s concerns about the proposed introduction of four additional pylons and overhead lines as part of the Sizewell C proposals, and the resulting impacts on the Suffolk Coast and Heath Area of Natural Beauty (AONB), the County Council commissioned a high level independent report into the feasibility of alternative export connections avoiding pylons, to feed into the County Council’s responses to the Planning Inspectorate.
Read Sizewell C Power Export Connection review (PDF, 271KB)
Review of EDF Energy’s rail proposals for the Sizewell C development
Suffolk County Council commissioned an independent report into possible options to increase deliveries of materials by rail in response to the proposals put forward by EDF Energy in its Development Consent Order application, to feed into the County Council’s responses to the Planning Inspectorate.
Read the:
- covering note from Councillor Richard Rout and Councillor Andrew Reid about the report (PDF, 133KB)
- report to Sizewell C DCO Rail Response (PDF, 1MB)
Accommodation Campus report
Following the EDF Energy Stage Two public consultation and Suffolk County Council's ask that EDF review potential alternative sites for the Accommodation Campus, the County Council commissioned an independent report as our contribution to this review.
Read the Accommodation Campus report (PDF, 4.5MB).
Contact details
Email sizewellc@suffolk.gov.uk.
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