news story

13th January 2010

MP Offers to Guide Residents through 'Maze' of Consultation over New Nuclear Power Plant

Northavon MP Steve Webb has offered to help local residents who are baffled by the consultation process over the proposed new nuclear power plant at Oldbury-on-Severn.

The MP has had a meeting with the 'Infrastructure Planning Commission' which is the new body which will ultimately decide whether the new power station gets the go-ahead, and will be seeking to ensure that residents understand how best to register their concerns. One key point which arose from the meeting is that a final decision is not expected until mid 2012 - around the time of the London Olympics.

Steve Webb said:

"After my discussions with the Infrastructure Planning Commission it has become clear to me that the process of consultation over a new nuclear power plant risks baffling us all. There are pre-application consultations, exhibitions and debates, preliminary public meetings and full public hearings, all over a period of more than two years. We have to give our views to the nuclear power company, to the Council, to the Government and to the Infrastructure Planning Commission. It is vital that there is real clarity so that people who feel strongly about these issues know when and how they can have their say".

The MP said that the major public consultation to which residents may currently wish to respond is on the 'National Policy Statement for Energy Infrastructure' which will guide the IPC when it makes all of its decisions.

This document was produced by Central Government and the deadline for responses is 22nd February. Copies are available online, but the MP said he would make available a summary of the key issues for constituents who were interested.  He will shortly be posting this on his website and giving hard copies to constituents who contact his office on 01454 322100.

Separate to the Government's consultation, the energy company that wants to build a new station at Oldbury - Horizon power - will be carrying out its own consultation with residents. This will all take place *before* an application is submitted to the IPC, which is not expected to be until towards the end of next year (2011). If the IPC judges that the company's consultation has been adequate it will 'accept' the application for consideration but there will then be a round of further consultations and public meetings. Only after all of this process has been gone through will there be a final decision.

Steve Webb said:

"One of the key conclusions of my meeting with the planners is that people who feel strongly about this issue need to be willing express their views to lots of different organisations and over a period of years. This is a long and cumbersome process, but I will do my best to help local people feed in their views about issues big and small".