Strategic engagement

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Many new connections and significant generation infrastructure are required to deliver net zero carbon emissions in the UK by 2050. The resources and conditions in East Suffolk and East Anglia for fixed foundation offshore wind and interconnectors make this area favourable to developers. East Suffolk Council is concerned about the significant number of projects which might seek to be accommodated within the district as a result. Through engagement with developers individually and collectively, the council has and continues to seek to minimise the harm and adverse impacts on the environment and communities from projects, whilst ensuring that any benefits are maximised. Simultaneously, East Suffolk Council is also engaging on a more strategic level.

Letters to/from Government and other stakeholders

A joint letter, signed by the Leaders of the District and County Councils was sent to the, then Secretaries of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Housing, Communities and Local Government, having regard to all energy projects in the East Suffolk locality. The letter highlights the concerns the councils have, due to the lack of coordination and potential adverse cumulative impacts which could result from accommodating numerous infrastructure projects in the same locality. The subsequent correspondence is detailed below.

In October 2019 Rt Hon Therese Coffey MP, Secretary of State at the Department of Work and Pensions and MP for Suffolk Coastal constituency, organised a meeting with Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP Minister of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy which was attended by representatives from East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council to discuss the cumulative impacts of the energy projects on East Suffolk.

In addition the following letters have also been written to Ministers in relation to the current and future energy projects being faced by Suffolk and Norfolk.

In February 2020 Rt Hon Therese Coffey MP organised a further meeting with Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP which was also attended by representatives from East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council to continue discussions regarding the issues faced by the cumulative impacts of the energy projects.

The Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy organised a ‘Teach In’ which was attended by various stakeholders involved in the delivery of energy projects including National Grid both as Systems Operator and Transmission Owner, Ofgem, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Planning Inspectorate, Environment Agency, Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council. During this meeting all the stakeholders recognised and acknowledged that the current system and processes for delivering new energy is not fit for purpose, an issue which will only be exacerbated in the coming years as we strive to deliver the necessary capacity to meet our net zero targets. Following this meeting East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council wrote jointly to the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy setting out the key next steps required.

East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council also wrote in support of local MPs on 4 December 2020 following an adjournment debate on offshore wind transmission connections on 5 November 2020.

A response received from Rt Hon Anne Marie Trevelyan MP on 13 January 2021

Joint written evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee - May 2020

East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council submitted written evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee.

BEIS Offshore Transmission Network Review

The Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng announced on 15 July 2020 the Offshore Transmission Network Review and published the Terms of Reference for this work.

This review is welcomed, comprising an acknowledgement that the current approach to designing and building offshore transmission is inappropriate considering the target of achieving net zero. Our continued engagement with Government and the Minister has helped to bring about this review, there is now greater recognition and understanding regarding the detrimental impacts faced by local communities and the environment as a result of the current regime. East Suffolk Council has and continues to engage with the Offshore Transmission Network Review.

Letter to Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP from East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council - 5 August 20
Response from Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP - 8 September 2020
Legal opinion - Implications of BEIS Offshore Transmission Network Review for the East Anglia One North and East Anglia Two applications for development consent
The councils responded to the publication of an open letter from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Ofgem in relation to the Offshore Transmission Network Review and barriers to coordination
Letter to BEIS and Ofgem from East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council - 24 September 2020
East Suffolk Council responded to Ofgem’s consultation on changes intended to bring about greater coordination in the development of offshore energy networks in our letter of 8 September 2021
The councils responded to a consultation on the proposals for a Future System Operator role in our letter to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Ofgem on 23 September 2021
As part of the Offshore Transmission Network Review, National Grid Electricity System Operator commenced their Offshore Coordination Project in 2020.The council provided a joint response with Suffolk County Council on 27 October 2020 to a consultation held on this project between 30 September and 28 October 2020.
On 27 September 2021 National Grid Electricity System Operator wrote an open letter which provided an update on the Offshore Transmission Network Review.
East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council responded to this letter on 6 October 2021.
On 27 October 2021 National Grid Electricity System Operator provided a response to the letter of 6 October 2021, identifying a list of projects in the East England, considered in their view, to be potentially in scope of the Early Opportunities workstream of the review.
East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council provided a joint response to BEIS and Ofgem’s consultation: Proposals for an Enduring Regime for coordination of transmission on 24 September 2021.
East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council provided a joint response to Ofgem’s consultation on the initial findings of their Electricity Transmission Network Planning Review.
On 17 December 2021, East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council wrote to the BEIS Minister of State, Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, to request a discussion regarding how it will be possible to achieve tangible outcomes from the Early Opportunities workstream of the Offshore Transmission Network Review (OTNR) and how the offer to communities could be improved.
East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council wrote again to the Rt Hon Greg Hands MP on 3 February 2022.
On 7 July 2022 BEIS published a summary of progress on Pathfinder projects under the OTNR . The OTNR is seeking to encourage developers of well-advanced projects to voluntarily opt-in to become Pathfinders. A joint statement from North Falls, Five Estuaries and National Grid was published. East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council wrote a letter to the Rt Hon Greg Hands MP on 25 July 2022 in response to this publication.
On 16 August 2022 and 23 August 2022 responses were received from Rt Hon Greg Hands MP.
In July-August 2022 Ofgem held a consultation on their minded-to decisions on the initial findings of their Electricity Transmission Network Review. East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council provided a joint response to this consultation.
On 5 December 2023 the outputs of the Offshore Coordination Support Scheme (OCSS) were published. East Suffolk Council wrote to the Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to express their disappointment and request reconsideration of the OCSS outcomes – 17 January 2024.

Responses to other national consultations

East Suffolk Council has also provided the following responses to different strategic and national policy consultations:

East Suffolk Council’s concerns regarding the cumulative impacts of uncoordinated Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects on the Suffolk coast

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