Full environmental study ordered for 'extremely prominent and incongruous' 150m turbine

Why it matters: The turbine, proposed by Associated British Ports (ABP) on land at the Port of Ipswich, would stand three and a half times the height of the Orwell Bridge and equal the tallest onshore wind turbine in England.

The details: The screening opinion, issued on Wednesday, 19 August 2026 under application reference DC/26/03279, confirms that an Environmental Statement will be required before ABP can submit a full planning application.

• The proposed turbine would have a tip height of approximately 150 metres, together with associated infrastructure, exceeding the 15-metre threshold that triggers mandatory screening under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.
• The 1.57-hectare site lies within the operational Port of Ipswich, adjacent to the River Orwell estuary, and close to the Orwell Bridge, the A14 and high-voltage overhead power lines.
• The case officer concluded the development was "likely to have significant effects" once its characteristics, location and potential impacts were assessed against Schedule 3 of the EIA Regulations.

The bigger picture: The council's assessment flags several areas of concern:

• The site lies within the Risk Zone of the Stour and Orwell Estuaries Ramsar Site, Special Protection Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest, and close to Piper's Vale Local Nature Reserve and County Wildlife Site, raising the potential for "significant ecological impacts", including bird strike.
• Noise, shadow flicker and strobing effects could have a cumulative impact on nearby homes, particularly to the west and north-east, "especially during sunrise and sunset".
• Construction is expected to cause a "very significant level of disruption" to the highway network, particularly when transporting the turbine to the site.
• The proposal would affect the setting of several listed buildings, including the Grade II listed Ostrich Inn and Bourne Hall in Wherstead, and could be visible from the Suffolk and Essex Coasts and Heaths National Landscape to the south-west.
• The report also notes the turbine's "safe topple distance" would encompass high-voltage power lines, port developments, Anglian Water's sewerage works, Piper's Vale County Wildlife Site and the Orwell Estuary itself.

For context: The site sits just outside the Ipswich Borough boundary, in an area of Babergh District Council's jurisdiction – meaning Ipswich Borough Council has no power to approve or refuse the scheme, despite its proximity to thousands of Ipswich homes.

Here's how the proposed turbine compares to local landmarks:

• The Orwell Bridge stands 43 metres above the water.
• The Mill on Ipswich Waterfront is the tallest building in Suffolk at 71 metres – less than half the height of the proposed turbine.
• Two turbines built next to the A12 at Kessingland in 2011 stand 125 metres tall.

What they're saying: Cllr Martin Cook, leader of the Labour group at Suffolk County Council and councillor for the Gainsborough ward at Ipswich Borough Council, said: "Many people will be shocked by this news.

“Babergh has rightly ruled that ABP must carry out a full Environmental Impact Assessment before applying to build its 150-metre turbine at Cliff Quay, near the Orwell Bridge.

"My focus now is on making sure Gainsborough residents are heard in a process run by a council that they do not elect. We will be pressing ABP to present its plans openly to Ipswich residents, and pressing Babergh to consult properly across the borough boundary when the application comes around the turn of the year.

"That is what I will be doing alongside my Gainsborough colleague Cllr James Whatling and our MP Jack Abbott.”

What's next: No planning application has yet been submitted. ABP is expected to lodge its full application around the end of December or early January, triggering a formal public consultation.

The bottom line: Babergh District Council has confirmed that a full Environmental Impact Assessment will be needed before any decision can be made on the 150-metre turbine proposed for Cliff Quay, with a formal planning application – and the public's first chance to comment – expected within months.

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