Recently the details of the previously announced Ministry of Defence objection to the Aquind Interconnector project have been made available and shine a light on what areas of the project raised concerns and why. You can read the full detail of the objection online on the Planning Inspectorate website via the link below:
Ministry of Defence Objection Document (PDF)
It is worth reading the full document for the context for the objections but below is a copy (as of publishing this post) of the objection details (shown in italics):
Position of the MOD
- The reasons why the Proposed Development is a cause of significant concern for the MOD and why MOD considers development consent should be refused necessarily involve information regarding UK defence and national security which it would be contrary to the national interest to disclose. They are therefore set out in CLOSED submissions in accordance with the procedure set out by SoS ESNZ in the letter of 12 July 2024.
- What can be said in these submissions is that the Proposed Development would unacceptably impede and compromise the safe and effective use of a key defence asset, HMNB Portsmouth, and RN operations in the area of HMNB Portsmouth and the English Channel, including unacceptably limiting military training. This represents a clear risk to UK defence and national security.
- The MOD also relies on the letter, dated 22 August 2024, of Captain Lee McLocklan RN, Captain of the Base (Portsmouth) and Deputy Naval Base Commander of HMNB Portsmouth, who confirms that in his view, based on his many years of professional experience, the Proposed Development would clearly and unacceptably impede and compromise the safe and effective use of HMNB Portsmouth, and the necessary military training required for its safe and effective use.
- Whilst the MOD accepts that the applicant has made offers to permit MOD oversight of the Proposed Development in its email of 12 April 2024, the MOD does not consider that these would sufficiently mitigate MOD’s concerns. The MOD does not consider any other sufficient or appropriate mitigation to be available.
- Development consent for the Proposed Development should therefore be refused.
The letter mentioned in point 22 is included in the objection document.
Could this finally be the end of the Aquind Interconnector?
