Free parking at Sizewell Beach thanks to Sizewell C funding

Visitors to Sizewell Beach will benefit from free parking for the next year, thanks to funding from Sizewell C.

The twelve-month trial is intended to encourage year-round use of Sizewell Beach and relieve possible pressure at more ecologically-sensitive areas such as Dunwich beach, RSPB Minsmere, the National Trust Heath and Beach, and other local heathlands during construction of Sizewell C.

Year-long free parking at the beach begins today (3 March) and is also expected to reduce informal road-side parking leading up to the beach, making it safer and improving the environment for local residents.

Steve Mannings, Sizewell C’s DCO Delivery Lead and member of the Ecology Working Group, said: “This trial is a fantastic example of collaborative working between Sizewell C and our stakeholders – and it’s one of a package of measures we’re delivering to protect nature in this area.

“We’re acutely aware of the sensitivity of the environment in which we’re constructing and this is another example of how we’re working hard to protect local wildlife. It’s also a great benefit to our local residents who use the beach, so we’re delighted to kickstart this initiative for the next twelve months.”

Sizewell Beach has been well used by walkers, dog owners and tourists and is a stunning and wide shingle beach. Dogs are allowed on the beach throughout the year, both on and off lead, which is not the case in more ecologically sensitive areas in the area.

Extensive areas of the Suffolk Coast, including coastal frontages, wetlands and heathlands are designated to the highest level of protection by the UK government for their nature conservation interest. Sizewell Beach does not currently have this level of designation and so the aim of the Sizewell C Ecology Working Group is to ensure visitors keep using less ecologically-sensitive beaches, as opposed to more ecologically sensitive neighbouring beaches, including Minsmere, Dunwich, or nearby heathland.

A particular aim of the plan is to reduce disturbance to ground nesting birds of the heathlands and trampling damage to the most important areas of vegetated shingle.

Russell Clement, National Trust General Manager for the Suffolk and Essex Coast, said: “As a conservation charity, the National Trust is supportive of these measures, which will encourage the use of less ecologically sensitive areas, especially for those wanting to walk dogs off leads.

“In turn, this will help spread visitors across this highly designated landscape, places like Dunwich Heath, where we ask visitors to be more mindful on their visit to protect the rare and vulnerable wildlife found here.

“Providing free parking at Sizewell Beach will also hopefully ease congestion and fly-parking in the area, reducing the impact on local communities.”

The funding is released from Sizewell C’s European Sites Mitigation Fund, secured under Sizewell C’s Development Consent Order and the associated Deed of Obligation. To enable a year-long trial, Sizewell C has provided top-up funding, bringing the total grant to £43,500 for a full 12 months.

The funding has been agreed by Sizewell C’s Ecology Working Group, which is made up of members from East Suffolk Council, Suffolk County Council, Natural England, the Environment Agency and Sizewell C as well as representatives from Suffolk Wildlife Trust and RSPB.

The success of the trial will be measured throughout before a decision is taken on further funding for subsequent years. Measures of success include consistent or increasing visitor numbers, particularly visitors exercising dogs.

Pat Hogan, a resident who lives on the Sizewell Gap road leading to the car park, said: “This is very good news. I’ve lived here now about 50 years, and have seen it grow in popularity, especially over the last few years. Though this is of course lovely, it has brought traffic difficulties with street parking. The most hazardous area is probably when cars are parked opposite The Vulcan, and when cars park in the turning point in front of the cafe which means other traffic cannot use it as a passing place. If the car park is free, hopefully, people will use it more fully and not use these awkward areas to park. I am very glad that the overnight parking rule will also still be enforced and that new wardening will support the monitoring of the car park.”