Our nature reserves

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Nuclear and nature coexisting

We have created 150 hectares of nature reserve for the wildlife living on our estate.

These habitats are teeming with different creatures including reptiles, badgers, water voles and many bird species.

We have plans to create another four nature reserves on our estate to enhance the landscape and compensate for any loss of SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) land that is needed to build Sizewell C.

These spaces won’t disappear after we’ve finished building Sizewell C. They are here to stay for the benefit of people and wildlife, all part of our project’s positive legacy for Suffolk.

Meet Our Nature Enthusiast Steven

Meet Steven – a digger driver at Sizewell C and keen wildlife photographer.

Thanks to projects like Wild Aldhurst, a former onion field turned 67-hectare nature reserve, Steven can enjoy local wildlife in our nature reserve and on the Suffolk coast while building a career close to home.

Sizewell C creates local jobs and protects the environment – supporting people like Steven to do both.

Wild Aldhurst

  • 65 hectares big
  • 6 hectares of wetland
  • Created primarily to compensate for the loss of lowland ditches, reed, and open water habitat as features of the SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest)
  • Notable species that have been spotted here: Marsh harrier, Cetti’s warbler, water vole, tench and eel

Marsh Harrier Wetland Habitat

  • 45 hectares big
  • Created primarily to compensation for loss and separation of marsh harrier habitat
  • Large component area of future landscape scale habitat creation.

Wild Studio

  • 40 hectares big
  • Created primarily as a reptile translocation area
  • We’re hoping it also becomes a large component area for sanderlings in time

Visiting Wild Aldhurst

Sizewell C’s environment team, together with our environmental partners, created Wild Aldhurst which, alongside other measures we are taking, will protect and enhance nature.

This former onion farm turned nature reserve includes areas that are open to the public.

In the long run, our environmental measures will lead to a 19% net gain in biodiversity.

Getting to Wild Aldhurst