Since the 1960s, the Sizewell A nuclear power station has loomed large on the East Suffolk coastline, but one of the county's most familiar landmarks could soon be disappearing.

Nuclear decommissioning firm Magnox has submitted plans to demolish the turbine hall and electrical annex as work continues to decommission the four boiler reactor, which stopped operating in 2006.

In a design and access statement with the plans, the applicant's agent, environmental consultants Enzygo, said 'multiple options' were being considered for the future use of the site.

READ MORE: Suffolk: Training facility idea for future of Sizewell A

The land could be used as either a laydown or storage area or for the siting of cranes being used to 'de-plant' or demolish the boiler or reactor building.

Alternatively, the area could be repurposed as a brownfield site or for other energy projects, such as supporting the new Sizewell C nuclear power station, a substation for wind farm expansion or to accommodate a Small Modular Reactor (SMR).

SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of 300 megawatts (MW) per unit.

In March last year, the EADT visited the Sizewell A site to report on how the decommissioning of the site was progressing and see inside both the turbine hall and reactor building.

READ MORE: Sizewell A: Turbine Hall set to be bulldozed this summer

During its 40 years in operation, the site produced 110 terawatt hours of electricity, but by the time the EADT visited an eerie quiet had descended on the once deafeningly loud turbines.

Approximately 99% of the most radioactive materials had been removed from the site, meaning the levels of radiation present were equivalent to those experienced by an airline pilot.

During its working days, steam generated by the reactor was used to drive the two large turbines in the turbine hall, with the steam then cooled back to water by passing seawater through condensing units located beneath the steam turbines. 

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Final site clearance - when the reactor building will be removed - is due to take place in the 2090s, but could happen sooner.

The applicant's agent said: "The turbine hall which is proposed to be demolished is located south of the main reactor building of Sizewell A.

"The building consists of the turbine hall, electrical annex and deaerator bay which form a single, steel-framed structure clad in aluminium, with the annex a single storey element to the north of the main turbine hall."

READ MORE: Suffolk news