THIS WILL COST 300 NEW JOBS
Developer unhappy at Wylfa climbdown
THE company behind a major Anglesey holiday village says the plans by the Wylfa Newydd developer to cut its scheme for housing temporary nuclear workers will cost 300 jobs and impact on tourism and regeneration.
Land and Lakes has been developing a 600-job holiday park project near Holyhead, with the hope that part of the scheme would house hundreds of nuclear plant construction workers.
The company and the developers of a worker site at Rhosgoch have been in discussions with Horizon Nuclear Power for several years about the proposals.
But, in the third consultation document put forward by Horizon Nuclear Power, Horizon is proposingroposing placing all temporaryorary worker accommodationon – up to 4,000 beds – next to Wylfa Newydd.
Richard Sidi, chief executive for Land and Lakes, said thiss decision went againstnst the idea that Wylfa Newydd would bring a wider legacy to the island.
He said they would have to scale back their plans, which would reduce the potential job creation by around 300 and that Holyhead would lose out on new housing and the extra spending from construction staff. He said it also made their project more risky.
“There has been a sea change in this third consultation, all driven towards making sure this is fully investable, and cost efficient,” said Mr Sidi.
“I understand that but it’s got to be a balance with bringing a legacy as well and for me the balance has swung too far the other way. There is a real risk to Anglesey with this latest proposal.
“There is a loss of 300 full time jobs in tourism because the Cae Glas and Kingsland parts of our project will be gone. Penrhos would carry on but this reduces the scale of what we would do.
“It makes Penrhos more risky and we will have to develop it in phases. There is also the loss of 160 affordable homes after the Wylfa project is completed.
“There is the whole loss of regeneration for Holyhead, that extra spend from the workers that could have been a real catalyst.”
But he added that he believes it is not just their scheme that would suffer.
He said: “Anglesey people need to be aware and understand the implications of the latest proposal. Traffic will be greater and tourism impact massive.
“They say they will use all the accommodation on Anglesey first, 3,000 workers, and then build these blocks as and when required. If workers knock tourists out of their bed space then there will be a long-term impact.”
Richard Foxhall, Stakeholder Relations Manager at Horizon, said: “As well as bringing jobs and work for local companies and local people, we’ve been exploring where we can bring about long-term benefits to the island’s communities – particularly those closest to the Wylfa Newydd site - and the economy, and where we can act as a catalyst.
“We’ve announced our intention to invest in promoting tourism on Anglesey, and we’ve long been aware of the need to balance the opportunities from the tourist and private rental centres with the need to keep Anglesey attractive to holidaymakers. The latest workers’ accommodation proposals build on years of consultation and dis- cussions with everyone, from local residents to Anglesey Council and Welsh Government. We’re also talking to those groups, and private sector companies, about activities in Holyhead. This is a £10bn plus project.
“There is absolutely no doubt we will be relying on the local workforce and the facilities the town has to offer, and the question is how do we best manage the development boom there. We’re more confident than ever that our proposals will allow us to sensibly manage impacts like traffic and make the most of this project for everyone.”