Sampford Brett

Hinkley Point: Pre-application consultation

The Parish Council of Sampford Brett wish to make the following points with particular reference to the proposed siting of a campus for up to 200 workers in the Williton/Sampford Brett area:-

Settlement

We can find no justification for building accommodation for up to 200 workers in this area.  There is a mention of a need in the Consultation document, but no argument to support this claim [4.11.2]

We challenge the statements in 4.11.6:-

a) facilities and infrastructure at Williton are not appropriate to support an influx of 200 workers who would represent a significant proportion of the population;

b) much of the land designated is in a flood plain and has experienced significant flooding in recent years, a problem which can only be exacerbated by additional building and car-parks;

c) the identified land is not included in the current Development Plan and no discussions have taken place with the Council to indicate any change in this status. (The document referred to by the Project Manager, Simon Dunford, at recent meetings is an information gathering one, not an agreed plan).

Elsewhere in the Consultation document the stated strategy is to minimise the distances needed to travel.  This seems to argue against siting workers in Williton, some 15 miles and 40 minutes travelling time, from the construction site.

The settlement would be an intrusion into an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and be visible from the Quantock Hills.

Noise and light pollution will have a serious impact on the area, especially the currently unlit areas to the east and north.

An increase in traffic on the already busy A39 and A358.

Agricultural land and associated leisure activities afforded by the sites would be lost.

The settlement would increase still further congestion in the village of Williton.

Given the lack of suitable social opportunities offered by Williton, but available in Taunton and Bridgwater, there will inevitably be more traffic on the two main roads.

Site 'Wil-B' is entirely in the parish of Sampford Brett, a village designated in the Local dEvelopment Plan as one not allowing any further building due to its lack of infrastructure.

Traffic

The A39 is unsuitable for carrying the additional traffic asociated with the construction.

There is no alternative route for large vehicles.  The A358 has two low bridges and all substantial vehicle movements will be along the A39.  Any accident on the A39 will bring serious disruption to the area.  This is the main holiday route into West Somerset, including the Butlins holiday complex.  Any road closure would have a serious effect on the tourist industry as well as local traffic and, of course, on the very workers travelling to/from Hinkley Point.

We consider the Park and Ride facility to be inappropriate for this area.  Our preferred option would be for a bus to travel and pick up any workers located in West Somerset, or failing that, to use the currently redundant parking area formerly used by Griggs lorries, off the B3190 opposite Smithyard Cottage, between Tropiquaria and Five Bells.

Williton is already congested; any additional traffic can only make the situation worse.

The run-off of water associated with a Park and Ride scheme would further increase the risk of flooding.