RSPB Minsmere misses Sizewell C appeal deadline

A wildlife charity said it had missed the deadline to challenge a government decision to approve the Sizewell C nuclear power station.

The £20bn project for the Suffolk coast was given government approval in July.

RSPB Minsmere, which is near to the site of the proposed nuclear power station, had raised concerns over the impact it could have on wildlife.

It said it was "devastated" to be informed its paperwork was submitted late and apologised to its supporters.

The charity said the deadline to submit the paperwork to the High Court was 31 August - but it got its "timings wrong" and sent it in a day late.

It tweeted: "We are obviously devastated, and we can only apologise to those who have supported us throughout the whole process.

"We remain committed to getting the best possible outcome for nature from this and any future damaging proposals.

"We wish Together Against Sizewell C every success with their claim."

A separate legal challenge from Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) campaign group has been lodged.

The new plant would be built next to the existing Sizewell B, which is still generating electricity, and Sizewell A, which has been decommissioned.

It would be mainly funded by EDF, which said the new two-reactor plant could generate 3.2 gigawatts of electricity, enough for about six million homes.

The then Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng's decision to approve it was against the advice of the Planning Inspectorate.

In its report, the inspectorate said that "unless the outstanding water supply strategy can be resolved and sufficient information provided to enable the secretary of state to carry out his obligations under the Habitats Regulations, the case for an order granting development consent for the application is not made out".

In its decision letter, the government said "sufficient information has been provided to demonstrate that the applicant has options available to it that will ensure a permanent water supply is secured".

It said it was concluded that the "benefits outweigh the adverse impacts of the proposed development".

The government wants to build eight new nuclear power plants in a bid to reduce the UK's dependence on fossil fuels and energy imports.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been contacted for comment.

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