EdF plans to dynamite and bulldoze much of a 435 acre greenfield site at Hinkley, even before they get full planning permission to build two giant reactors.
Some of the work is expected to start as early as this autumn with special licences, including removing twenty one badger groups and demolishing three historic barns thought to be the habitats for bats. Meanwhile they plan apply to the local council to raze the land early next year. Legal advice we have received tells us this 'salami-slicing' of the planning process may well be illegal.

Consent to build two massive nuclear reactors must be sought from the Infrastructure Planning Commission but the application for consent is not expected till December this year at the earliest and the case will take a year to decide. EdF may not make the application in December as the planning 'blueprint', the National Policy Statement has recently been delayed till spring next year. The reactor designs have not yet been approved and this is not expected till June next year and may be highly conditional.

Jim Duffy, spokesman for Stop Hinkley said: "Trashing this huge greenfield site is extremely premature as none of the major consents are anywhere near being in place. EdF hope to get the nod from the local authority to keep up the momentum of their juggernaut plan but if it's not illegal it's certainly immoral"

What EdF’s Hinkley C “Preparatory Works” will mean:

Removal of the majority of trees, hedges and habitats, including ancient woodlands;

Closure of existing footpaths and bridlepaths including the coast path;

Security fencing round an area of more than 400 acres;

Stripping topsoil and vegetation to make terraced area for the proposed nuclear reactors - English Heritage says this could destroy artifacts from ancient inhabitants and the whole plan is premature;

New roads built across the site;

Streams re-routed underground;

The excavation of more than 3.2 million cubic metres of soil, sub-soil and rocks. This is more than has been excavated to prepare the site for the 2012 London Olympic Games;

The demolition of three historic agricultural barns;

Noise from up to 12,000 vehicle movements per month;

EdF says it will “restore” the site to its original state if it does not receive planning permission for the power station. This is impossible – you cannot recreate a landscape that has taken hundreds of years to mature.

Protected Areas and Wildlife Under Threat:

The coastline bordering the Hinkley C site is part of the Bridgwater Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI);

Bridgwater Bay’s shallow waters are a sanctuary for thousands of waders, ducks and other sea birds, especially in winter;

The site is also bordered by Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation and a National Nature Reserve;

Bridgwater Bay is designated a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention;

Bird species found on land in the area include skylark, lesser whitethroat, Cetti’s warbler and nightingale;

Twelve species of bat frequent the site, including the relatively rare greater and lesser horseshoe varieties.