Felixstowe's three Conservative county councillors will be asked to support an opposition movement at a meeting tomorrow.

The Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent Group has called on Suffolk County Council to publicly oppose EDF Energy's proposed Sizewell C development and retract any 'in principle' support for nuclear power.

To date, Suffolk County Council has been supportive of the principle of nuclear power and Sizewell C, and has simply registered concerns with the specific proposals put forward by EDF Energy. However, the Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent Group has now submitted a motion to the Council meeting on Thursday 9 July 2020, asking the County Council to fundamentally reconsider its position.

Cllr David Wood, proposer of the motion and Chair of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, commented: "I am very concerned by the impact that Sizewell C will have on the Suffolk countryside, particularly the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB. As well as the environmental damage, there are countless other problems with nuclear power as an energy source, including the risks of storing waste material.

"Suffolk County Council agreed to support the principle of nuclear power back in 2007 and hasn't reconsidered its position since. We are calling on the current Council members to recognise that the world has changed since then – and its time our position changed too."

Steve Wiles, Stuart Bird and Graham Newman who represent wards covering Felixstowe, the Trimley and other villages on the peninsula are expected to be at the virtual meeting and their votes could tip the balance on the motion, which will be proposed by Cllr David Wood and seconded by Cllr Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw.

The full motion reads: "This Council is concerned about the severe environmental impact of Sizewell C on the Suffolk countryside, including the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, and the negative economic implications for the tourism and hospitality industries that will accompany this.

"In addition, this Council notes the inherent problems with nuclear power as a source of energy. Renewable technologies are better alternatives to nuclear, from both an environmental and financial perspective, and funding and time should be invested in these energy sources instead.

"Therefore, this Council removes agrees to oppose EDF Energy's development of Sizewell C."