Empowering Nature: Why Early Engagement Matters for Saxmundham

Some residents who attended the recent Annual Town Meeting may have been surprised by the strength of feeling directed at the Empowering Nature consultation paper, particularly from individuals closely aligned with local campaign groups. While several of those voices are passionate, it is important to note that not all were Saxmundham residents, and their views are not universally shared.

Given the criticism raised, some may be questioning whether the Town Council was right to publish the paper at this stage. This article aims to explain clearly why early consultation is not only appropriate but essential — and why it is firmly supported by planning policy and best practice.

Why Timing Matters

Under the current planning regime for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), the Relevant Representation submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) is pivotal. It must include everything an Interested Party wishes the Examining Authority to consider. This step sets the scope and direction of the entire examination process. Crucially, you cannot introduce new issues later on — doing so may lead them to be disregarded.

This has become even more critical following changes to the NSIP process in August 2024, which introduced a more compressed examination timetable. Representations must now be front-loaded, including not just objections, but also detailed proposals and supporting evidence. The deadline for submissions is 23 June 2025.

If Saxmundham is to have any realistic chance of securing meaningful mitigation or community benefit, it must act now. Waiting until later in the process could leave the town with no say over the outcome and no means to require National Grid to deliver anything beyond the bare minimum.

What Empowering Nature Seeks to Do

The Empowering Nature paper was created to open a conversation about how Saxmundham can respond constructively if the Sea Link project is approved. The Town Council strongly objects to the siting of the proposed converter station in or near the parish. However, it acknowledges the need to prepare for all outcomes, including the possibility in which the project proceeds despite local opposition. In that scenario, the Council has a duty to act in the best interests of the town by identifying potential environmental improvements and quality-of-life protections.

Far from being premature, the consultation is timed to ensure local voices can be heard in a way that aligns with the formal planning process. Doing nothing or simply repeating that we don’t want the converter station is not a strategy. If consent is granted, these structures will sit on Saxmundham’s doorstep for the next 40 years. This is our chance to shape that legacy.

Backed by Suffolk County Council Policy

Suffolk County Council’s Community Engagement and Wellbeing Policy provides strong support for Saxmundham’s approach. The policy, published in 2024, sets out clear expectations for how communities should be engaged when major infrastructure projects are proposed:

• Early engagement is essential to protect wellbeing and provide communities with a voice.
• Mitigation and benefits must be co-designed with communities, not imposed from above.
• Town and parish councils are key democratic representatives and must be central to discussions.
• Statements of Community Consultation (SoCCs) should go beyond legal minimums and reflect genuine collaboration.

In short, the policy clearly supports the kind of proactive engagement that Saxmundham Town Council is leading with Empowering Nature.

Anticipating Criticism, Defending the Approach

Some campaign group supporters have criticised the Council for discussing mitigation “too early,” or have suggested that doing so undermines opposition. This is not the case. Suffolk County Council’s own policy notes that early engagement on mitigation is a form of primary mitigation itself. Waiting until after Examination begins would be a strategic error.

Shaping the Future, Not Just Reacting to It

The Empowering Nature paper is doing what it was designed to do: sparking informed dialogue, raising ambition, and giving Saxmundham a clear voice in one of the most consequential planning processes in its recent history.

The Council’s approach is one of leadership, responsibility, and good governance. It does not weaken opposition — it strengthens the community’s position by ensuring its needs, concerns and aspirations are articulated and recorded before decisions are made.

Saxmundham deserves a say in its own future. This is the time to speak up — not after the door has closed.