Saltmarsh Investigations
See separate section on this website about Saltmarsh issues
Update – 27th September 2024
Hinkley Point – Salt Marsh Proposal for Kingston Seymour – Update
On the evening of 24th Sep 2024 a videoconference was held with the Hinkley Point (HP) customer relations team to have the first discussion on their draft plans for the local area. In attendance were the Parish Council (PC), IDB and local MP Tessa Munt.
The call had been arranged in response to the letters received by the PC and landowners in relation to the proposed creation of the Salt Marsh within the Parish and focused on our expectations in advance of the open meeting at the Village Hall to make sure they come with the answers we need and that they consider all local issues.
It was clear the HP team is early in their development planning and are yet to undertake investigations and consultations with relevant government agencies. They are not yet ready to submit anything for formal consultation within the community, at the earliest this will be in the New Year. They are also looking at three other options further up the Severn Estuary at Littleton, Arlingham and Rodley. The local issues we raised were:
- Farming – The impact that this will have on the generational farming community within the parish and the current balance with nature we enjoy in the village.
- Flooding – Today we do not suffer from this and we cannot accept any increase in flood risk in our community.
- Communication – The approach taken in contacting landowners was overly aggressive and work should have been done in advance of any contact to ascertain the feasibility of using land prior to any formal letters being issued.
- Recent major developments activities – These included:
- Pier to pier route – Recent creation of the multi-user way
- Coastal Footpath – Planning approved for the new coastal path and changes to location due to rare plant/wildlife.
- Sea Defences – Changes to Environment Agency plans and subsequent strengthening of our sea defence’s
- Sewage works could become closer to the sea – We queried the impact on a Salt Marsh ecosystem of having an outlet from the plant close by.
The HP team apologised for the tone of the letters that had been sent out and said that due to a very compressed timeline, for them to meet wider planning activities, they had to move quickly without undertaking the usual necessary work prior to issue.
Based upon the feedback we presented to the HP team during the call the PC requested that there was a two week delay to the commencement of survey work so that the meeting on the 14th Oct 24 can be progressed before any actions are undertaken, that any survey work should be as unintrusive as possible and that an apology should be issued to Landowners for the manner of the recent approach.
The HP team committed to respond to us within 48 hours and did so on the evening of Thursday 26th Sep 2024 confirming the following:
- Surveys – No work will commence before 7th Oct 2024 to allow further time to liaise for access and that these surveys will be small scale and non-intrusive.
- Communication – A further letter will be sent out over the weekend to landowners apologising for the heavy-handed approach and outlining the programme and minimal works necessary to obtain the ecological data needed.
The HP team have committed to review all the local issues we raised and to include an update on this in their briefing to us all at the public meeting on Monday 14th Oct 20 24 at 19.45 (please note the slight change in start time)
The PC will continue to monitor this situation very closely and will bring any updates to your attention with all haste when available, up to the public meeting after which we will all be better informed to decide on our next steps.
*****
Original Post – 23rd September 2024
Just before our parish council meeting in September, we learned that Hinkley Point are looking to explore the possibility of creating areas of saltmarsh in the western side of the parish (within the area shown on the map below)
This is said to be part of their environmental commitment and their planning obligation for the power station project.
We know that some landowners have been given statutory notice that environmental surveys are going to be taking place on their land with very little notice or explanation.
The parish council has been in contact with Hinkley Point and arranged with them to come to a public meeting in the Village Hall on
Monday 14th October at 7.45pm
to further explain their plans and to answer all our questions.
Please do come along, this is something that could affect our whole community and as a Parish Council it is important we know your views to inform our response and actions.
Steve Dixon, Parish Clerk, 23rd September 2024
