LOCALS in a tiny seaside village which is home to a number of celebs say it’s being destroyed by huge trenches which are as wide as a motorway.
Residents in Walberswick on the Suffolk coast near Southwold say the area could become an “industrial wasteland” as it has been earmarked by energy giants National Grid for a huge five-acre site.
The company hopes to bring ashore power generated by a huge windfarm which would also mean vast trenches the width of a motorway needing to be dug, locals say.
While the tiny village has a population of just 350, it is home to a number of famous celebs, including film maker Richard Curtis and his wife, the broadcaster Emma Freud.
The actor Bill Nighy also lives there as well as Charlie Mackesy, the author of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse and writer Jan Etherington.
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Jan said: "Not any of the areas they are proposing are suitable, they are all Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and it is a threat what could happen to our beautiful Suffolk coast."
In a statement, the concerned residents of Walberswick said: "This designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will become an industrial wasteland if the proposals are allowed to carve motorway size trenches through the eco systems.
“The four-year building process would decimate the village by turning it into a construction site.
"We will be ignoring the needs of a younger generation who will grow up in an industrial hub, hating what we are doing to their world.
“We will be dismissing the concerns of small businesses, many dependent on nature tourism, the area's main economy, and we'll witness the destruction to the area's beach, wildlife and ancient ecosystems."
Walberswick has been named as one of the most beautiful seaside villages in the UK.
The Telegraph highlighted its stunning sand dunes and beach, calling it the “magical light of the Suffolk coast”.
It said: "The wooden bridge leading from the picturesque village of Walberswick to the beach is always crammed with children clutching crabbing lines and plastic buckets."
Other towns named in the list included Blakeney in Norfolk, Beer in Devon and Portloe in Cornwall.
A consultation between National Grid and the villagers is being held this weekend.
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LionLink is a plan to connect the electricity systems of Britain and the Netherlands, providing approximately 1.8GW of clean electricity – enough to power 1.8million British homes annually.
Gareth Burden, Director of Construction at National Grid Ventures, said: “We value community feedback and want to hear from local people to enable us to develop the best possible proposal for LionLink.
"In doing so, we can help to make the country’s electricity system more secure and provide access to greener electricity sources.
“The consultation process last year provided valuable insight, and this has enabled us to refine our proposals.
"We hope this supplementary consultation will enable us to continue the refinement of our options, demonstrating to local people how our plans are progressing and how feedback has influenced them.
"We are listening and we encourage people to share their views on these alternative options.”
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