Leiston, Suffolk, March 31, 2025 – The construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant, a cornerstone of the UK government’s economic growth agenda, is transforming the Suffolk coast. Slated for completion in 2031, the £20 billion project promises to power six million homes and create thousands of jobs. However, for residents of Leiston—a small town of just 5,508 people—the influx of workers is driving a housing crisis marked by skyrocketing rents, no-fault evictions, and accusations of landlord greed.
A Workforce Boom Fuels a Housing Crunch
Sizewell C’s construction demands a workforce of 7,900, with roughly two-thirds hailing from outside Suffolk. While 2,400 workers will live on-site and 500 others are housed at the repurposed Pontins holiday park in Pakefield, the remaining 3,000+ contractors are flooding Leiston’s rental market. The result? Rents have surged, with some properties doubling to over £3,000 monthly—far beyond what locals can afford on the area’s £26,705 average annual salary.
Historically affordable compared to upscale neighbors like Aldeburgh and Southwold, Leiston’s average rent was £773 per month, per the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Today, listings reveal a stark shift: a three-bedroom semi-detached home on Carr Avenue now commands £3,000 (including bills), while another nearby property targets “Sizewell workers” at £4,500 monthly. For locals like Daniela Delfino, 31, who pays a modest rate for her one-bedroom flat, the rental spike is “greed-driven and unfair.”
Evictions and Incentives: Landlords Cash In
The housing strain isn’t just about price hikes. Tenants like John Stevens, 72, and Tina Ashford, 53, face no-fault evictions as landlords eye lucrative opportunities tied to Sizewell C. East Suffolk Council’s housing grants scheme offers property owners up to £7,000 to convert spare rooms into worker accommodations, aiming to add 1,200 beds. Stevens claims landlords are “evicting tenants to grab the money and charge bigger rents,” a sentiment echoed by single mother Ashford, now scrambling to find an affordable home after her landlord opted to sell.
The government’s Renters’ Rights Bill, which aims to ban no-fault evictions, won’t take effect until at least summer 2025—leaving residents vulnerable in the interim. “It’s criminal,” Ashford says. “The good days are behind us.”
A Community Divided: Winners and Losers
Not everyone laments the Sizewell effect. Sarah Hartman, 66, credits the worker influx with saving her Knodishall pub, The Butchers Arms. With 75% of her bed-and-breakfast guests linked to Sizewell, she’s netting an extra £10,000 monthly. “Without them, we’d close,” she admits, though she resists raising rates to avoid “being greedy.”
Meanwhile, Toby Lindsay-White of the Leiston Pantry food bank sees a darker side. Membership is climbing as locals, unable to keep up with rent, are priced out. He cites a four-bedroom bungalow now being converted into an eight-bedroom worker hub post-eviction. “Some secure good jobs at Sizewell, but more are forced to leave,” he notes.
Market Dynamics or Exploitation?
Tim Day, director of Suffolk Coastal Estate Agents, defends the high rents as a response to demand for “serviced solutions”—short-term lets with bills and cleaning included, akin to holiday rentals. “A £3,000 monthly rate might not reflect a year-long commitment,” he argues, predicting the housing crunch will soon spread beyond Leiston to Lowestoft, Ipswich, and Felixstowe as workers use park-and-ride options.
Yet locals like software engineer May Hall, 39, feel powerless. On a six-month lease at £850 monthly, she fears her landlord could pivot to a contractor willing to pay double. “Sizewell’s the feudal lord, landlords are vassals, and we’re at their mercy,” she says.
Official Response: Mitigation or Lip Service?
Sizewell C, backed by EDF and an 85% government stake, pledges to support 70,000 jobs and minimize housing disruption. East Suffolk Council claims it’s “proactively engaging landlords” to keep rents affordable and monitoring homelessness rates. Labour MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter calls the situation “concerning,” urging collaboration to ensure locals—not just landlords—benefit.
The National Residential Landlords Association attributes rent hikes to rising costs—higher interest rates, taxes, and maintenance—warning that without government intervention, the rental shortage will worsen as landlords exit the market.
A Town at a Crossroads
As Sizewell C’s groundwork accelerates, Leiston teeters between opportunity and displacement. For every pub saved or job created, stories of eviction and unaffordability multiply. With rents climbing and protections lagging, the question looms: will this nuclear-powered boom uplift Suffolk’s residents—or leave them priced out of their own town?
