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Sedgemoor send strong message to EDF over Hinkley

SEDGEMOOR District Council has warned energy bosses not to ‘ride roughshod’ over Bridgwater on Hinkley Point – as new details of the ground-breaking project emerge.

Nuclear reactor number 3 - what do you think? Sedgemoor send strong message to EDF over Hinkley

At a meeting of the council’s executive committee today it was revealed that up to 200 lorries-a-day could make their way through Bridgwater and Cannington to a new nuclear build at Hinkley during its construction.

EDF Energy is expected to lodge a planning application for the proposed Hinkley ‘C’ with the Infrastructure Planning Commission later this year.

But the French company, which is conducting consultation across Sedgemoor for the proposed reactor project, was criticised for not giving the council enough time to challenge or contribute to its plans.

Kerry Rickards, Sedgemoor District Council’s chief executive, said: “EDF must not think they can ride roughshod over this council’s priorities.

“It is not right that they give us a 10,000 page document with not much time to rubber stamp it.

“We need to challenge them openly if we feel they are not being transparent enough.”

EDF have also been pressed on its benefits plan for the area – after the council resolved to advise them that it was expecting a ‘significant’ community package. Mr Rickards added: “There is going to be disruption to people’s lives because of Hinkley and there is no reason why there should not be benefits for that.”

The council indicated it would like to pursue a community chest scheme – which would see any financial contribution from EDF distributed across Sedgemoor.

But Alan Beasley, chairman of the Save Cannington Action Group – campaigning against EDF’s plans – was cynical about any community cash.

He told the Mercury: “I would rather see the money come from central Government.”


Comments (6)

19/05/10

grisleyreg says...

If it is Bridgwater, Cannington and the nearby villages bearing the brunt of Hinkley why should any cash be spread across Sedgemoor?.

19/05/10

east-ender says...

Here, Here, just that the greedy SDC can do what they like spread out more and no-one knows if it has all been spent or gone into their coffers

19/05/10

east-ender says...

I see SDC has warned EDF not to ride rough shod over them, pot, kettle, black, springs to mind as SDC has been riding rough shod over the public of Sedgemoor for years and now the boots on the other foot, they don't like it. Rickards get a grip man, you are not wanted here. EDF road roller SDC, they wont be missed, i can assure you of that.

19/05/10

Rudolph_Hucker says...

Quote from the Article:- “At a meeting of the council’s executive committee today it was revealed that up to 200 lorries-a-day could make their way through Bridgwater and Cannington to a new nuclear build at Hinkley during its construction”.

That is horrendous, but I fear 200 a day is a low estimate. Of course that being over 12 years minimum build time. This will be significantly sized Lorries, and we are talking low-loaders carrying huge bits of kit. Add to that the white vans, workers themselves, buses, coaches etc.

So which way will they take? A39 Quantock Rd or the NDR Bearing in mind the NDR is what it says, a distributor road to the housing estates. EDF Solution (in part) Park them all up and put in workers hostels at Cannington. Doesn’t solve that traffic problem though. All the hold-ups that we have enjoyed whilst Wessex Water have been digging holes, imagine all that traffic being added to the queues.

Apart from the old Cellophane site, (where this lot could be put during the build phase) what is wrong with the other bits of land that have been cleared entering town by the A38 dual carriageway (what was the Clearwater industrial park) Even the old A38 Gerber site could house some of it all. Why are EDF even considering pushing all that traffic through Bridgwater? How can they be allowed to cause even further gridlock on what is an oversubscribed road that already holds more than a fair share of fatalities. Is it fair to allow them to put industrial sites in green fields in Cannington? Must be French Logic!
Say what you like about our council, and the shambles around the Splash affair; if they can manage to get this right, perhaps they could be electable after all. This is their chance to Maximise on what could be made available with EDF money for us the People. Long way to go though.

20/05/10

Mr Pedant says...

Get EDF to build the long overdue northern bypass - Dunball to Cannington which could include the Parrett barrage. Result all round.

20/05/10

Rudolph_Hucker says...

Mr Pedant wrote:
Get EDF to build the long overdue northern bypass - Dunball to Cannington which could include the Parrett barrage. Result all round.
Simples!! This is what we have been saying out here in the wilds of Cannington. The Barnes report of 1989 stated categorically that the best option was a dedicated route from Dunball to just outside the proposed Hinkley C site. Regretfully our Gallic friends (EDF) have decided to ignore all that; and based on cost rather than on the well-being of the villagers. EDF prefer to rape the landscape and hard luck all those who happen to live there. May work for simple French Peasants, but not for us.
In a nutshell “EDF What part of Naff off we don’t want you in Cannington!” Don’t you understand?