Unrestricted Document Pack CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE CHIEF EXECUTIVE MEMBERS’ UPDATE Fiona Marshall 13 December 2017 Dear Councillor COUNCIL (EXTRAORDINARY) - THURSDAY 14 DECEMBER 2017 Please find enclosed the Members’ Update for the above meeting, detailing any further information received in relation to the following items of business since the agenda was printed. 4. FUL/MAL/17/01128 - Land East of Bradwell Power Station, Downhall Beach, Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex (Pages 3 - 12) Yours faithfully Chief Executive Page 1 For further information please call 01621 876232 or 875791 or see the Council's website – www.maldon.gov.uk. This page is intentionally left blank Agenda Item 4 CIRCULATED AT THE MEETING REPORT of HEAD OF PLANNING SERVICES to ENTER COMMITTEE NAME ENTER DATE OF MEETING MEMBERS’ UPDATE AGENDA ITEM NO. 4 Application Number FUL/MAL/17/01128 Land East Of Bradwell Power Station, Downhall Beach, Location Bradwell-On-Sea, Essex Application to carry out preliminary ground investigations and associated works in connection with a potential new Nuclear Proposal Power Station at Bradwell-on-Sea, use existing building as core storage area and form site compound with associated parking area. Applicant Dr Stephen Mannings Agent Mr Ian Bryant Target Decision Date 17 January 2018 Case Officer Anna Tastsoglou, TEL: 01621 875741 Parish BRADWELL-ON-SEA Major Application. This application is presented to before Reason for Referral to the Members of Full Committee as it is of strategic and corporate Committee / Council merit. 3. SUMMARY (PAGES 9 - 11) 3.1 Proposal / brief overview, including any relevant background information Please note minor change to paragraph 3.1.1.5. 3.1.1.5 A borrow dyke runs in an east-west direction to the north of the site along the lower end of the flood defences. The network of coastal nature conservation designations includes the borrow dyke and the area extending to the north of it. To the north of this borrow dyke extends the network of coastal nature conservation designations including The nature conservation network includes Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), National Nature Reserves (NNRs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Ramsar sites. Our Vision: To make Maldon District a better place to live, work and enjoy Page 3 5. MAIN CONSIDERATIONS (PAGES 13 - 25) 5.4 Impact on the SSSI and protected habitat Please note minor change to paragraph 5.4.3. 5.4.3 For that reason, the applicant has submitted an Ecological Appraisal, identifying the potential ecological constrains as well as a Shadow Habitats Regulations Assessment determining whether there are any potential impact pathways that could result in Likely Significant Effects for the proposed ground investigations taking into account consideration any other relevant plans and projects. 7. CONSULTATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS RECEIVED (PAGES 26 – 33) 7.1 Representations received from Parish / Town Councils (page 26) Name of Parish / Town Comment Officer Response Council Cold Norton Parish No comments. Council 7.2 Statutory Consultees and Other Organisations (pages 26 – 30) Name of Statutory Consultee / Other Comment Officer Response Organisation Object for the following reasons: The flood risk assessment contained in the application amply illustrates why this site is wholly unsuited for any permanent industrial complex to be built It is noted that the there. development is not for the Maldon Society Any potential buildings erection of a new nuclear and infrastructure power station. needed to avoid flooding risk would spoil the attractiveness of the region. The potential power station would change the existing rural/maritime use. A nuclear power station would Page 4 Name of Statutory Consultee / Other Comment Officer Response Organisation adversely impact upon employment and income from tourism. Regard needs to be paid to the vulnerabilities of the special protected sites and wildlife. There is archeology relating to past important roman and christian and other historic uses of this stretch of coastline that would presumably become inaccessible once within a secure nuclear power station compound. 7.4 Representations received from Interested Parties (pages 31 – 33) 7.4.1 Letters were received objecting to the application from the following contributors and the reasons for objection are summarised as set out in the table below: Don Manhire, 5, Springfields Drive, Colchester CO2 9TA Additional comments from Ian Clarke, 13 Broomhills Road, Mersea Island, CO5 8AP P S Tunbridge, 67 High Street, Burnham on Crouch, CM0 8AH Steve Betteridge 56 East Bridge Road, South Woodham Ferrers, Essex CM3 5SD Liz Carlton 56 East Bridge Road, South Woodham Ferrers, Essex CM3 5SD Graham Farley, 30 Fairhaven Avenue, Colchester CO5 8EZ Steve Burgess, 8 Church Road, West Mersea, CO5 8QH Barry Turner, 9 Grove Avenue, West Mersea, Colchester, Essex, CO5 8AE R J Barry Jones, 34 Wycke Lane, Tollesbury, Essex, CM9 8ST Christopher Wilson, 29 Hawkwell Chase, Hawkwell, Essex SS5 4NH Mr James Dawson, Stein Straße, Bremerhaven, Germany Mr Ian Crossley, 15 Grove Avenue, West Mersea CO5 8AE Les Flack, Field End, St Lawrence Drive, St Lawrence Bay, Essex, CM0 7NH Angela Livingstone (Professor emeritus of Essex University), 19 Old Heath Road, Colchester Ian Michael Chimes, 44 Victory Road, West Mersea, CO5 8LX Mrs S Chimes , 44 Victory Road, West Mersea, CO5 8LX Page 5 Mrs Varrie Blowers, 8 Shears Court, West Mersea, CO5 8DB Ms Charlotte Jeffery, 41 The Lane, West Mersea CO5 8NS Miss F R Mawson, 27 Armond Road, Witham, Essex CM8 2HD Carole Shorney, 19 Folly Lane, Hockley SS5 4SE Malcolm Ede, 8 The Coverts, West Mersea, Colchester, Essex, CO5 8AW Norma Creighton, Flat 3, Rosemary Court, Rectory Road, Tiptree, CO5 0SW Josh Warner, Retreat Farm, Bassetts Lane, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 4BZ Mr Paul Trimby, 9 Old Forge Rd, Layer De La Haye, CO2 0JS Nichola Cain, 32 Darnet Road, Tollesbury, Essex, CM9 8XG Mr and Mrs R. Lang, 14 Kingsway, Tiptree, Essex, CO5 0LS Jessica, Voice Communications, The Nursery, Layer Marney Tower, Layer Marney, Essex, CO5 9US Henry Spyvee, 16 Wakefield Close, Colchester CO1 2SD Jim & Andrea Bailey, 27, Yorick Road, West Mersea, Essex CO5 8HU David Slate, Berberis, West Bowers Road, Woodham Walter, Maldon, CM96RZ RP Mullis, 83 Seaview Avenue, West Mersea, Colchester, CO5 8BX Anthony and Margot Bailey, 13 St.Peter’s Rd., West Mersea Essex CO5 8L Elfed Jones, 10 Singleton Crescent, Mochdre, Colwyn Bay, LL28 5AS Mr and Mrs Cornell, 8 Bonington Chase, Chelmsford, Essex, CM16GB Teresa Schrier (Business Owner), Premier Screening, Mote Cottage, Maldon Road, Bradwell on Sea, CM0 7HY Deirdre Haslam, Pilgrims Rest, 12 Downs Road, MALDON, Essex, CM9 5HG J Curtis, 19 Old Forge Rd, Layer-de-la-haye, Colchester, CO2 0JT Hannah Cole, 36-38 Brook St , Manningtree, Essex, CO11 1DR J. Crispin Clark J. Wilson, Sheepwash cottage, Ward Hill, The Fens, Aldringham Cum Thorpe, Suffolk, IP16 4QS Objection Comment Officer Response No indication is given about the scale, size and layout of a nuclear power station, or its operation. The site is unsuitable to accommodate a nuclear power station, due to the fact that it is sited within a flood risk zone (taking It is noted that the proposal is not for the also into consideration the sea-level rise erection of a new Nuclear Power Station. from global warming and climate change), near nationally- and internationally-designated areas and residential properties. Defensive walls would be unlikely to provide sufficient protection during the lifetime of the plant. Page 6 Objection Comment Officer Response The cost of building, running and decommissioning a nuclear reactor must make the cost of producing a unit of electricity far more than renewable energy production. Long-term storage of the highly radioactive spent fuel produced by the proposed new station will also be required, on this totally unsuitable site. Nuclear will be superseded by clean renewable energy sources long before work starts at Bradwell. The hosting of a nuclear power station would burden generations of future taxpayers. It is impossible to mitigate the negative impacts of a new nuclear power station and this Application should, therefore, be refused. A nuclear power station would adversely impact the fishing, leisure and holiday industries of the Blackwater estuary. It is unnecessary to put human health and the environment into potential danger with the erection of a new nuclear power station. The erection of a new nuclear power station would destroy the amenity of the area, leading to the loss of many existing jobs The erection of a new nuclear power station would result in significant impacts on the environment, the archaeological assets and the health of people living nearby. During the construction and operation of a new nuclear power station the site would be turned into a major industrial site. Concerns are raised regarding assurance against a serious nuclear accident. A problem could occur when moving radioactive waste through populated areas. Other renewable energy technologies together with economics benefits are fast moving with high potential and lower production costs. Concerns are raised regarding the impact that a nuclear power station would have Page 7 Objection Comment Officer Response to the community and health care in case of an accident. Comment is noted. This earthquake was Bradwell is just 6.5 miles away from the in 1884. Part of the proposal involves the historic earthquake site of Peldon, installation of seismic cone penetration Colchester where a quake measuring 5.1 testing probes to measure geotechnical on the Richter scale damaged around properties of the ground. However, it is 1,250 buildings. noted again that the proposal is not for the erection of a nuclear power station. It is noted that a new nuclear power station at Bradwell is opposed unanimously by Colchester Borough Council, West Mersea Town Council and Comment noted, but it is reiterated that local MP Bernard Jenkin as well as the current application does not involve 10,000 mainly local people who signed a the erection of a nuclear power station.