Friston power plan: Wind farm substation plans

The plan is to build substations at Friston in Suffolk

Scottish Power has announced it has chosen to develop land in a village near the Suffolk coast for substations serving two offshore wind farms.

The plan has faced opposition in Friston near Snape with concerns about digging up the countryside.

The firm said it had about 600 responses to its consultation.

A site at Sizewell was also considered, but it said Grove Wood in Friston offered the best location for the electrical infrastructure.

David Walker, development director at Scottish Power Renewables, said the firm had "carefully" reviewed all of the feedback.

"We are looking at the key matters raised in relation to the Grove Wood site and are considering how these influence our plans going forward," he said.

The proposed East Anglia TWO and East Anglia ONE North offshore wind farms are being built off the East coast

The substation is required for the proposed East Anglia Two and East Anglia One North offshore wind farms, which could power up to one and a half million homes.

Campaign group Substation Action Save East Suffolk (SASES) said the plans would see a "vast 50-acre industrial energy complex" built in "peaceful" Friston.

"This is an area largely untouched by development for centuries, surrounded as it is by listed buildings including a 17th Century barn and the Church which dates back to the 11th Century," said a spokesman.

Richard Rout, cabinet member for environment at Suffolk County Council, said he remained "gravely concerned" that Friston was the wrong place for the development.

"Although we are still opposed,, we don't have the authority to turn down the planning of these major infrastructure projects," he said.

"So, we will do what we can to work with Scottish Power Renewables to find the maximum mitigation possible to ensure their project causes the least impact in the event that it is accepted by the secretary of state."

A final decision on the plans is likely to be taken by the Secretary of State for Business in 2021.