The Pawlett Hams Action Group has welcomed the news that Burnham-On-Sea MP Sir Ashley Fox has secured a parliamentary debate to recognise the success the community had in convincing EDF to abandon plans to convert the Pawlett Hams into a salt marsh.
The vibrant 800-acre landscape of freshwater wetland and farmland was initially proposed for conversion to a new saltmarsh to mitigate fish loss at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station. The debate will take place in Parliament today, Wednesday 9th October, at 11am.
The Hinkley Point C project had said the plans would be a ‘natural alternative’ to installing an acoustic fish deterrent at the new power station. The proposals for the saltmarsh and other changes to Hinkley Point C’s design were included in a public consultation earlier this year.
However, the environmental group Protect Pawlett Hams Action Group and residents campaigned against the plans, calling them an “ecological disaster in the making.”
We reported here that the group last month welcomed the announcement from the company that it is instead “investigating new locations” for the site.
A spokesperson for the Pawlett Hams Action Group says: “We look forward to Sir Ashley Fox sharing the story of how residents, farmers, and visitors united against potential land acquisition, working alongside community and wildlife groups to achieve this hard-won victory.”
“Following EDF’s local consultation in January 2024, a grassroots campaign run by the Pawlett Hams Action Group quickly highlighted the importance of the Pawlett Hams, catching the attention of key stakeholders and the media. Yet, it was months of coordinated efforts that truly showcased the rich biodiversity and irreplaceable value of this landscape.”
“The Pawlett Hams is home to an array of species, including aquatic water beetles, great crested newts, water voles, breeding lapwings and hares, which underscores the years of careful management taken to realise the area’s ecological significance.”
“The Hams is also vital agricultural land and open space, playing an important role in the lives and livelihood of our community and visitors to it.”
To demonstrate this, Pawlett Hams Action Group conducted wildlife surveys, collaborated with ornithologists, and gathered historical and personal testimonies from local residents and visitors.
“Through petitions, social media, community events like rock concerts and photography competitions, and even engaging our village school, we documented and shared our journey while maintaining an open dialogue with EDF.”
On 9th September 2024, EDF announced a pause in their plans to turn the Pawlett Hams into salt marsh, the force of the community’s voice cited alongside technicalities as a key reason for this decision.
“Each member of Pawlett Hams Action Group brought unique skills—whether campaign coordination, cake baking, communications, or photography—to this effort, highlighting how community involvement and collaboration can shape decisions that impact local environments and livelihoods. We hope our story will inspire other communities facing challenges, similar or otherwise. Our message to them is simple: the power of community is real and can make a profound difference.”
Pawlett Hams Action Group formed in response to EDF launching a consultation in January 2024 on its plans to convert 800 acres of freshwater Pawlett Hams into salt marsh. This was in mitigation for their decision to no longer install acoustic fish deterrents to prevent fish loss through the cooling intakes for their power plant at Hinkley Point C.
At the consultation residents were told that Pawlett Hams was chosen because of its proximity and its size – enough area all in one place to satisfy the demands of the mitigation process.
The Pawlett Hams Action Group is a collective of residents, owners of land on the Pawlett Hams, people who enjoy walking and photographing the Hams, and Friends of our community.
