Save Minster Marshes
Europe’s largest converter station is proposed on a groundwater flood zone, next to the Minster Stream, River stour and a site of special scientific interest in kent.
“An act of environmental vandalism”
The site is of this huge 100ft tall building is on a marsh - that floods.
In an attempt to address the high ground water, a late application was made to raise the building by 2 meters using 40,000 lorry loads of aggregate and deep piles to stabilise the building, however finding stable rock to support the piles has not been possible.
Concerns over the deep piles in a marsh water environment could allow contaminants to enter the watercourses, or salt from the old Wantsum Sea Channel to raise to the surface.
A permanent 10 meter wide 1km long haul road would cross the marsh, with 27 water crossings.
With important archeology under the marshes such as St Augustine's landing and Caesar's marching camp the road is now required to sit on top.
The the development sits adjacent to a SSSI and within unique habitats which host 37 red listed species alongside farmland which was converted to agriculture by the Augustine monks in the 13th Century.
“A lot of water fowl like to fly over water so they follow the Stour river valley through Minster Marshes, but they are now planning to put up supersized pylons. In 2003 there were 179 mute swans killed because they hit power lines here, they now want to put up more.”
Pegwell Bay where the cables will make landfall is a North East Kent Marine Protected Area (NEKMPA) a highly protected area for nature conservation:
Two Special Areas of Conservation (Thanet Coast SAC & Sandwich Bay SAC)
A Special Protection Area (Thanet Coast & Sandwich Bay SPA)
A Wetland of International Importance (Thanet Coast & Sandwich Bay Ramsar site)
Site of Special Scientific Interest (all Thanet Coast SSSI – see below, and part of the Sandwich Bay to Hacklinge Marshes SSSI)
Kent’s largest National Nature Reserve – the ‘Sandwich and Pegwell Bay NNR‘
Thanet Coast Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ)
“Pegwell Bay is an internationally important site for wildlife.
It’s also home to Kent’s largest seal population its mudflats, salt marshes and intertidal habitats provide vital feeding, breeding and resting areas.”
boundary map
Save Minster Marshes Merchandise
Show your support in the fight against destruction from National Grid's SeaLink project. We agree with the need for green energy but this should not be built at the expense of our environment.