Council Urges Government to Intervene on EDF Saltmarsh Proposal

A local authority is requesting that the government intervene to prevent proposals described as “crazy” that would inundate hundreds of acres of agricultural land. EDF intends to convert property situated close to the Somerset village of Kingston Seymour into a salt marsh. This conversion is proposed as mitigation for the annual mortality of 44 tonnes of fish attributed to the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station. North Somerset Council is pressing the energy firm to abandon this initiative and instead allocate resources towards more effective biodiversity enhancements. EDF stated that it is “obliged to make environmental improvements” as part of the power station’s construction and contended that the proposed marshes would offer secure environments for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. Councillor Steve Bridger commented that the proposed schemes would affect “a thriving network” of recently established small enterprises within the locality. He clarified that this impact would be in addition to consequences for farming land, economic well-being, and ecological diversity. Young farmer Sophie Cole stated in September: “No amount of money can compensate me for the loss of my livelihood and exciting plans for the future.” Upon receiving planning permission, Somerset’s new nuclear power station was instructed to implement speaker systems designed to deter fish from entering its cooling mechanisms. However, EDF now asserts that this installation would be “dangerous to install” and seeks to offset fish mortality by establishing 340 hectares of saltmarsh adjacent to the River Severn. Mr. Bridger, an Independent councillor, informed a full council assembly that the plan was “ham-fisted,” further stating: “Landowners who would be directly impacted by the proposals were sent letters in September, completely out of the blue, with a rather threatening tone talking about compulsory purchase of their land.” The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Conservative councillor Peter Burden remarked: “It is crazy, chairman, to destroy habitat to mitigate for killing fish.” He put forward a motion for the council to press the government to demand that EDF adhere to the initial planning stipulations, a motion that councillors unanimously approved. Mr. Bridger suggested that EDF should “instead be asked to fund all sorts of biodiversity gains in North Somerset that we actually want and need.” The proposed salt marsh scheme entails ceasing maintenance of the existing sea wall and constructing new coastal defenses further inland, which EDF has asserted would be “bulletproof.” Mr. Burden cautioned that should the sea wall fail, “Jacqueline’s Bridge Fish Farm will be three feet underwater and Tickenham Church will be an island.” The council intends to formally communicate with the government, urging officials to compel EDF to comply with the initial planning requirements rather than permitting their substitution with salt marsh creation. The company indicated it is still “exploring options,” potentially encompassing “pockets” of saltmarsh in various areas. Any proposals will be subject to a public consultation prior to their implementation. For further updates, follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its external linking policy is available.