EDF Energy is to invest around £100million into the community as part of its plans to expand Hinkley Point C, it has announced this week.
The funding has been pledges as part of a ‘lasting benefit’ that aims to improve the quality of life for local people by investing in infrastructure.
It includes a £20million community fund – up on the original £1million – which will be spent by the community and local authorities, as well as contributions to housing, colleges, skills and services.
EDF says funding for infrastructure will involve transport and highway improvements in the Bridgwater area. Accommodation is also expected to be left as a legacy for the community after expansion of the power station is complete.
The £100m is part of a £300m pot that EDF plans to spend on “mitigating the impacts of the project” and benefiting the community.
Richard Mayson, EDF Energy’s Director of Planning and External Affairs, said in a statement on Thursday: “Consultation is all about dialogue. We want to work together with the community. In earlier stages of our consultation we were asked to look again at our proposals for community benefit. We recognise that we needed to increase the support we will provide to the local community.”
“We have taken on board this feedback and we are now putting forward measures that should provide £100 million of lasting benefit. As part of this we have increased the Community Fund to £20 million to improve the quality of life in the local communities. The fund will be spent locally on a range of initiatives chosen by the community and local authorities.”
“Our continued commitment to local people is that we will ensure that any significant impacts of the construction or operation of the power station and associated developments are managed sensitively and if they cannot be managed they are mitigated.”
“Our dialogue is continuing with the local authorities to address issues they have raised through the consultation process and in connection with our preparatory works applications. We are keen to find a solution that works for the community and we are committed to ongoing dialogue.”
The announcement comes as a consultation starts on Friday (February 25th) and runs until 28th March, focusing on material changes to the Hinkley Point C plans since the previous consultation last summer.
A consultation document updating members of the public on the project and seeking their views will be available at the public exhibitions and to download from the EDF website here.
