East Suffolk councillors vote on Government threats to local decision making and compensation funds for precious landscapes.
At the Full Council meeting on 22 July, Cllr Sarah Whitelock, East Suffolk’s cabinet member for Communities, Culture, Leisure and Tourism proposed a motion to influence government intentions on two issues related to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), usually related to energy. The motion was seconded by Cllr Tom Daly, Cabinet Member for Energy and Climate Change.
Following the Government's Nuclear Regulatory Review (2025), which was commissioned to identify ways to accelerate the delivery of nuclear projects, the Government has proposed changes to the way local communities and stakeholders are involved in decisions relating to these projects.
The proposals also include a change to the way nature mitigation funds, which aim to reduce the environmental impact of major developments, particularly on important landscapes, are determined.
Cllr Whitelock said: “Suffolk hosts many NSIPs, many of them related to energy, and as there are proposals for many more, our protected landscapes are particularly vulnerable to these changes. Visitors are attracted to our National Landscape along the coastline and spend £700 million in East Suffolk every year, and so the impact of these changes on our local tourist economy, the biodiversity of our district, and for the voices and wellbeing of our residents could be significant.”
Currently, after an NSIP is consented, many crucial sign-off powers sit with the Council as the planning authority, enabling them to utilise local knowledge and raise community concerns. However, the intended changes would see the Council become a consultee, transferring those important sign-off powers to a newly formed unit. This would mean decisions would be made nationally rather than locally, making it more difficult for communities to raise concerns.
The motion aims to address these proposals, by lobbying national Government to empower communities and local stakeholders, such as local councils and MPs, by ensuring they can meaningfully contribute to the development of NSIP policy.