Have a say on Berkeley's fate (From Gazette Series)

Have a say on Berkeley's fate

LOCAL people are being asked to enter another consultation with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to decide the 'end state' of the Berkeley Nuclear site.

At a meeting held by the NDA for the Berkeley Nuclear Licensed Site Stakeholder Group, site programme manager David Warner said representatives from local groups and organisations were needed to help make more decisions about Berkeley.

He said: "You need to think about what we are trying to achieve for the Berkeley site and by when."

Mr Warner explained to the stakeholder group members that an 'end state' and an 'end point' would need to be decided for the reactor site and offices.

He said: "The end state is the physical condition and the end point is the time when the end state is achieved.

"What needs to be remembered as well is that the end points for the power station and the Berkeley centre could well be different."

Stakeholder group members will now have to meet and discuss the possibilities for the Berkeley site which include a business park, a green field site or a new electricity generating plant.

However, at the meeting stakeholder members expressed concerns about several issues which they believe should be taken into consideration when deciding the Berkeley 'end state'.

David Wride, district councillor for the Vale, said existing local businesses were worried about a reduction in footfall.

He said: "I have spoken to local traders and they believe about 50 percent of their business comes from Berkeley power station. Its closure will have an effect so an 'end state' must help relieve this."

Berkeley town councillor Ted Holmes said his concern was an increase in traffic through the town centre.

He said: "There is also going to be a big development in Sharpness which will add to traffic. A business park may well cause even more problems. This needs to be thought out properly."

The main concern raised by local representatives to the NDA was the inevitable drop in local employment.

Cllr Penny Wride, chairman on Ham and Stone Parish Council, said: "There is a local work force who are loyal and will offer a new employer a lot."

In response, the NDA said to help limit the effect a reduction in employment would have they were offering money to help fund local projects.

Steve Payne, secretariat to the Berkeley Site Stakeholder Group, said: "With the help of local representatives we want to look at ways of targeting support in the local community.

"We can either directly pay for whole projects or just pay for some of a project or alternatively we can use our own resources and staff to help say, local schools."

This suggestion was warmly received.

Cllr Derek Burgess, chairman of Alkington Parish Council, said: "We don't want bribery and corruption but we do want good neighbours - we welcome your involvement and donations to help worthwhile projects."