COUNCILLORS looking to make sense of the complex technicalities of the proposed new build at Hinkley Point have had to contend with an extra obstacle - a language barrier.

This week the developers behind the new nuclear build, French Energy Company EDF, responded to a request from the council to provide all information on the new build in English.

The district authority have also been provided with further details of how preliminary works for the construction will impact transport, the environment and the health and quality of the community's life.

As a result of the new information, consultations have been reopened and will take place until May 20.

Anyone wishing to view the new information can do so by clicking the related link below or at the council's headquarters in Williton.

Andrew Goodchild, West Somerset Council's Planning Manager, said: “If people have any comments, observations or representations about the new information, they should be made in writing, by email or through the comment form on the council website quoting the Local Planning Authority's reference number 3/32/10/037.”

Representations will be taken into account before the application is finally decided by the council's Planning Committee.

EDF has also revealed there are in the early stages of talks to provide housing for West Somerset as part of the build's legacy.

An EDF spokesman said: “The Environmental Statement was supported by a large number of technical reports which were included in Volume 4 of the planning application submitted in November 2010.

“A small number of these technical reports included sections or included tables of technical parameters where the headings were in French.

“English translations of the relevant few excerpts have since been provided.”