A letter signed by 37 east Suffolk councils has been sent to the Government calling for greater engagement on 'damaging' energy projects in the area.
Paul Richards, chair of Snape Parish Council, has written to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) calling for energy minister Andrew Bowie to make a return visit to the county and 'substantively engage with elected representatives'.
The councils are particularly concerned about the impact of the planned new Sizewell C nuclear power station and National Grid infrastructure projects to route power cables from offshore wind farms across the countryside.
READ MORE: Energy minister Andrew Bowie in visit to Suffolk projects
Mr Bowie visited Suffolk in May when he met representatives of Sizewell C and some of the project's opponents.
However, in the letter, seen by the EADT, Mr Richards said the majority of town and parish councils had been 'excluded' from the opportunity to meet him during his May visit.
He said: "We are writing to express our collective disappointment that you have not yet returned to Suffolk since your fleeting visit in May, when the majority of town and parish councils were excluded from the opportunity to meet with you about the cumulative impacts of the many nationally significant energy projects proposed for our area."
Officials at the DESNZ had only been able to say that they were 'looking for opportunities' to return 'in the coming months,' he added.
"Meanwhile, there is growing alarm at the scale and damage National Grid infrastructure plans would wreak on the area when we know better alternatives exist that have yet to be fully evaluated by NG and DESNZ and the government continues to advance towards construction of Sizewell C.
"We urge you to make your return visit to east Suffolk a very high priority and make good your commitment to substantively engage with elected representatives across the area," Mr Richards said.
READ MORE: Suffolk news
The full list of parish and town councils that have signed the letter includes:
Aldeburgh, Aldringham-cum-Thorpe, Barsham & Shipmeadow, Bawdsey, Blythburgh, Bromeswell, Campsea Ashe, Charsfield, Chillesford, Clopton, Corton, Darsham, Dunwich, Easton, Farnham with Stratford St Andrew, Friston, Henstead with Hulver Street, Kelsale-cum-Carlton, Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Marlesford, Middleton-cum-Fordley, Peasenhall, Rendham, Rendlesham, Reydon, Ringsfield & Weston, Saxmundham, Southwold, Snape, Sudbourne, Sutton, Theberton & Eastbridge, Walberswick, Westerfield, Westleton, Wickham Market and Woodbridge.
National Grid did not wish to comment about the letter.
The EADT has also approached both Sizewell C and the DESNZ....
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereYou must verify your phone number before you can comment.
Please enter your phone number below, and a verification code will be sent to you by text message.
Please enter the six-digit verification code sent to you by SMS.
Your verification code has been sent a second time to the mobile phone number you provided.
Your verification code has been sent a third time to the mobile phone number you provided.
You have requested your verification code too many times. Please try again later.
Didn’t receive a code? Send it againThe code you entered has not been recognised.
Please try again
You have failed to enter a correct code after three attempts.
Please try again later.
Your phone number has been verified.
Your phone number has been stored with your account details. We will never use it for anything other than verifying that you are the legitimate owner of this account.