STOP PRESS! – 21 August, 2020
The District Planning Committee of Maldon District Council has dealt a double blow to the plans of the developer of Bradwell B, BRB, to undertake further land investigations at its site.
As a result of legal advice received, the Committee had been asked to reconsider at a meeting on 13 August its previous refusal of BRB’s Planning Permission (on 9 July). However, this meeting broke up in some disarray and was rescheduled for 20 August.
At the meeting, the public was excluded from hearing the legal advice. However, after a long discussion, the Committee voted overwhelmingly to re-affirmed its refusal, with 14 in favour of refusal, 1 against and 3 abstentions.
The Council’s former leadership, who had resigned before the meeting, with their Officers had fought a long rearguard action, including seeking legal advice, to safeguard the Council’s long-held policy of supporting in principle new nuclear power at Bradwell. Although the issue at stake was land investigations, which should arguably be judged on their own merit, it was clear that these would pave the way for the proposed Chinese-designed, mega power station and could not be disassociated from it.
After the meeting, spokesperson for the Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (BANNG), Varrie Blowers, commented: ‘In re-affirming their decision to oppose the Planning Permission, the members of the Committee were, in effect, signalling once again their rejection of Bradwell B. For opponents of the project the Councillors’ action is so far, so good. A minor victory in a much bigger war has been achieved’.