Council to ensure Sizewell C delivers for Suffolk as construction begins

Sizewell C today (15 January 2024) triggered its Development Consent Order, meaning that work can begin to build the new 3.2GW nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast.

Suffolk County Council played a key role to get significant improvements made to the plans during the project’s examination by the Planning Inspectorate.

As a result, Suffolk will now see around £250 million made available to its communities, by way of mitigating the impact on residents, businesses, the environment and infrastructure.

The council was also influential in ensuring that a far greater quantity of construction materials will be delivered by rail and sea, reducing the number of lorries on the county’s rural roads.

Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and environment, said:

“Despite a number of concerns during the planning process, this council has worked hard to ensure that should Sizewell C go ahead, Suffolk will be suitably compensated.

“Now that the project is officially underway, we will hold Sizewell C to account and make sure it meets its commitments to support local communities, mitigates its impact on them, and listens to ongoing concerns and issues from residents and businesses.

“We are looking forward to making the most of the economic opportunities for Suffolk which will come from this project, in particular our role coordinating skills and education to create opportunities locally.

“We have always put on record our support for guaranteeing the nation’s energy security, and a future of low carbon energy.”

During the construction of Sizewell C, Suffolk County Council will have a number of responsibilities, including:

• Discharge requirements (equivalent to planning conditions) to maintain control over highways, archaeology and flooding
• An important role in project governance over the construction period, in particular chairing the Transport Review Group
• Administering a significant proportion of funding negotiated during the examination and secured through the Deed of Obligation

The Deed of Obligation is a legal agreement between Sizewell C, Suffolk County Council and East Suffolk Council for the scheme to limit its impact on local communities during construction.

More information about Suffolk County Council’s role in Sizewell C can be found on its website.