Over 120 new caravan pitches are set to be built at a holiday park on the outskirts of Burnham-On-Sea for workers at Hinkley Point C power station.
Westcountry Park Homes has submitted a planning application for a change of use of land at Edithmead Caravan Park near Burnham’s M5 junction.
It is one of the first holiday parks in the area to formally put forward plans to bring Hinkley Point workers into the Burnham area – an intention that has been welcomed this week.
It is seeking full planning permission for 124 pitches – 74 for static caravans and 50 for touring – for “holiday use and as accommodation for Hinkley Point workers.”
The application also includes the erection of a shop and landscaping. The firm has also submitted a plans for a temporary change of use for two years of the caravan site to accommodate Hinkley Point workers.
A Burnham-On-Sea Chamber of Trade spokesman said this week: “We welcome these plans which, if approved, will bring extra people from Hinkley Point into the Burnham-On-Sea area, boosting trade at local businesses. Shops, restaurants and entertainment venues can all benefit – we hope this is just the beginning of our area seeing benefits from the Hinkley project.”
About 1,600 workers are now on site to work on the £19.5bn Hinkley Point C project, which is due to start producing power in 2025 although delays were announced by EDF this week, as we reported here.
Hinkley Point C will provide 25,000 job opportunities and 1,000 apprenticeships with many of the jobs going to people living in Somerset, says EDF.
