In November 2009 the government announced that Sizewell, amongst other sites, would be a suitable location for a new nuclear power station.
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.
In May 2020, EDF Energy’s SZC Co. submitted its Development Control Order Application to construct and operate Sizewell C. Details of the proposals are available on EDF Energy’s Sizewell C pages.
Between April and October 2021, an Examining Authority appointed by the Planning Inspectorate held an examination into the proposals for Sizewell C. They will now write a report to the Secretary of State, who will ultimately determine the application.
Suffolk County Council has been a statutory consultee and has evaluated, challenged, and commented upon the proposals for a new nuclear power station to get the best possible outcomes for the people of Suffolk.
On 12 October 2021, Suffolk County Council submitted its Final Position Statement to the Examining Authority, at the end of the examination. Read the Final Position Statement.
All documents submitted during the Examination by Suffolk County Council, the Applicant and other Interested Parties are published on the Planning Inspectorate website.
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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 |
15 April to 14 October 2021 |
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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 pre-examination consultations are available on the joint local authority page on eastsuffolk.gov.uk.
Local Impact Report
Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council submitted on 12 May 2021 their joint Local Impact Report to the Planning Inspectorate, as a key examination document.
The Local Impact Report sets out the Councils’ assessment of the likely impacts of the proposed development, and considers whether the proposed mitigation is appropriate or additional mitigation is required.
The submission to the Planning Inspectorate includes also a significant number of Annexes and Appendices, which are being published on the Planning Inspectorate website.
Read the Joint Suffolk Local Impact report (PDF, 3.6MB).
Suffolk County Council’s Relevant Representation
In advance of the commencement of the examination, 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).
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).