January 2009 Public Consultation Statement EDF: Plans for New Nuclear Development at Hinkley Point © PPS (Local & Regional) Limited 2009 This document is protected by copyright in the UK and in other countries. No part of this document may be copied or reproduced in any form without the prior consent of PPS (Local & Regional) Limited. PPS (Local & Regional) Limited fully reserves all its legal rights and remedies in respect of any infringement of its copyright. Contents 1. Foreword from EDF..............................................................................................1 2. Introduction ..........................................................................................................3 i Context of the Consultation.........................................................................3 3. Importance of Public Consultation ....................................................................5 i The Planning Process for New Nuclear Power Stations ........................5 ii Central Government Guidance...................................................................5 iii West Somerset Council’s Statement of Community Involvement....................................................................................................6 iv Sedgemoor District Council’s Statement of Community Involvement....................................................................................................8 v EDF’s Commitment ................................................................................... 10 4. Methodology.......................................................................................................11 i Purpose of Consultation........................................................................... 11 ii Geographic Coverage............................................................................... 12 iii PPS’s Seven-Point Plan........................................................................... 13 iv Co-ordination with British Energy’s Plans .............................................. 13 5. Consultation Programme ..................................................................................15 i Timetable ................................................................................................... 15 ii Public Consultation Stakeholder Management..................................... 15 iii Project Website .......................................................................................... 16 iv Freephone and Freepost .......................................................................... 16 v Newsletters ................................................................................................. 16 vi Media ................................................................................................... 18 vii Public Exhibitions....................................................................................... 18 viii British Energy Public Meetings................................................................ 20 ix Stakeholder Workshops............................................................................ 20 x Stakeholder Meetings ............................................................................... 22 6. Results of Public Consultation.........................................................................23 i Project Website .......................................................................................... 23 ii Questionnaires ........................................................................................... 23 iii Comments/Enquiry Forms........................................................................ 28 iv Stakeholder Workshops............................................................................ 29 7. Response to Public Consultation ....................................................................31 8. Conclusion..........................................................................................................48 Appendix 1 – Key Stakeholders..............................................................................50 Appendix 2 – Sample Media Coverage ..................................................................51 Appendix 3 – Questionnaire and Enquiry Form ...................................................53 Appendix 4 – Workshop Reports............................................................................58 Appendix 5 – Stakeholder Meeting Reports..........................................................75 1. Foreword from EDF EDF acquired land adjacent to the existing power stations at Hinkley Point because it sees the site as a suitable location for the development of a new generation of nuclear power stations to help provide Britain with a future stable source of low carbon electricity. EDF’s original intention was to pursue plans for a single new European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR) on it site at Hinkley Point. However, the site was purchased prior to its acquisition of British Energy, which completed on 5th January 2009. Adjacent to the land acquired by EDF is the Hinkley Point ‘C’ site, recently proposed by British Energy as a possible site for a new nuclear power station. EDF’s intention, following the acquisition of British Energy, is to build two new EPRs at Hinkley Point on the combined sites if the appropriate consents are received. EDF already had an extensive customer base and employed around 2,000 people in the South West of England prior to the takeover of British Energy. However, as a newcomer to Hinkley Point, the Company was keen to understand the key issues and concerns that the local community has about the possible provision of new nuclear power at Hinkley Point. EDF retained PPS, who specialise in organising and managing community consultation on major development proposals, to handle initial public consultation on its plans for Hinkley Point. The PPS team, based in Bristol, managed the public consultation and have produced this report. The consultation was undertaken during the last quarter of 2008 when EDF and British Energy were separate companies and EDF was proposing a single new power station on its land. PPS’s report deals comprehensively with the methodology and programme of consultation undertaken, the views expressed by the general public and key community stakeholders, and EDF’s preliminary response to the issues that have emerged. EDF sees this as the first stage of a process of ongoing community engagement throughout the planning and development process. A good start has been made in developing a positive and productive relationship with the local community and key local stakeholders but much work still remains to be done. 1 The integration with British Energy makes it even more important for EDF to build on the relationships developed over the last three months and ensure that the local community is fully engaged with, and regularly consulted on, its plans for new nuclear build at Hinkley Point as these evolve in the coming months and years. Richard Mayson External Affairs Director, EDF Development Company 2 2. Introduction i Context of the Consultation PPS South West, which specialises in community consultation on major planning proposals, was appointed by EDF Development Company Ltd (EDF) to undertake a programme of public consultation. The consultation programme was designed to support both the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) scoping consultation and the Strategic Siting Assessment (SSA) nomination process for development of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, Somerset. The consultation programme was discussed with officers of West Somerset and Sedgemoor District Councils at a meeting on 17th September 2008 where the broad principles of the developer’s proposed public consultation strategy and programme were agreed. As the principal local planning authorities that may be required to consider future proposals for new nuclear provision at Hinkley Point, EDF was keen to ensure that the two Councils were happy that the nature and scope of the consultation was appropriate for this stage in the planning process. At the September meeting, both Councils made the point that EDF should endeavour to co-ordinate its consultation activities with those of British Energy, which was also planning a new nuclear power station on land it owns at Hinkley Point. The Councils were concerned that two entirely separate public consultation exercises, on broadly the same subject, could lead to public confusion. The EDF team agreed to speak to British Energy to try to co-ordinate consultation events and ensure that a consistent message was delivered to the general public. Subsequent to this meeting, in September 2008, EDF made a formal offer to acquire British Energy. During the period in which this consultation was carried out, this deal was still subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. At the time of implementation of the consultation programme, EDF and British Energy remained separate and competing companies. The consultation undertaken was therefore an EDF branded programme, separate from though co-ordinated with, the consultation undertaken by British Energy over the same period. This Public Consultation Statement provides: relevant background on current national and local policy and advice on developer-led public consultation; the methodology and approach of the consultation programme; the results of the public consultation and EDF’s response to the main issues raised during the consultation. 3 The objectives of the consultation