DON’T TAKE US FOR GRANTED
Horizon warned over public Wylfa support
THE FIRM behind a multi billion pound nuclear power station has been warned “not to take local support for granted,” as the county council raised concern over its latest consultation document.
Horizon Nuclear Power hopes to start building a £14bn plant near the existing Wylfa site in 2020, once all the consent and financing is in place.
But responding to Horizon’s third and final phase pre-application public consultation (PAC3), Anglesey Council last week warned that its latest document “contained so little detail that it threatened the whole adequacy and lawfulness of the consultation process.”
Horizon is planning to submit a development consent order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate next month, which will include the main power station proposals as well as integral off-site developments.
At a specially convened council meeting in Llangefni last Thursday, deputy leader, Ieuan Williams, sought the con- sent of members in responding to PAC3 by highlighting several concerns.
The letter, which will be sent by Chief Executive Dr Gwynne Jones, as well as questioning its lawfulness, notes: “This lack of detail means that we are not able to meaningfully assess the potential impacts of the project, examine the validity of Horizon’s proposals or to influence and shape the proposals.”
Cllr Williams pointed to concerns over Horizon’s latest plan to slash the number of anticipated construction staff from 10,700 to 8,500, and an eightfold increase in the number of temporary workers housed on-site, from 500 to 4,000.
Adding they had only been given 28 days to respond, he said: “These are fundamental changes in the nature of the project and while we continue to support Wylfa Newydd in principle, our sup- port does not come at any cost nor does should it be taken for granted.”
Responding to Horizon’s latest estimate that only 2,000 of the construction workers will be from the local area, Cllr Williams added: “We want justification as to why more local people shouldn’t work on the build, receiving no evidence why the percentage shouldn’t be higher.
“The local impact of 4,000 rather than 500 workers staying on one site, also needs further investigation.”
But some were not happy with the wording of the council’s letter, with Cllr Aled Morris Jones saying such emotive wording as “lawfulness” would not reflect well on the authority.
H He added:dd d “My“M support t comes att at t a realistic cost, not at any cost, but we need to work with Horizon, not against them.”
Opposition leader Cllr Bryan Owen, added: “We’re not over the line yet and the funding for Wylfa Newydd isn’t in place. We can’t go on the attack too much.”
But council leader, Llinos Medi, responded: “The point of a consultation like this is to express our concerns and how to mitigate negative factors.
“Its known to everyone the benefits of a project like this to Anglesey.”
Support for the council’s letter was passed by a margin of 23 votes to five.