HC Deb 23 March 1970 vol 798 cc256-7W
78. Mr. Temple

asked the Minister of Technology what plans his Department now has for the establishment of a nuclear power station in the vicinity of Connah's Quay, North Wales; to what extent this would involve restrictions on industrial and residential development in the vicinity; and if he will make a statement concerning the proposals and anticipated effects on all classes of development.

Mr. Alan Williams

Consideration of the Central Electricity Generating Board's application for consent to a nuclear power station at Connah's Quay is being deferred pending completion of the planning study of development in the area which is being made for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

If the station were built, development controls would apply in an area up to about two miles from the reactors, chiefly to residential development. Following are details of the controls:

Development Controls around Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor Nuclear Power Stations

  1. 1. Some controls on future development around nuclear power stations are necessary to maintain the population characteristics which make the sites acceptable within the siting policy which was announced in February, 1968. For gas-cooled reactors of 257 the present generation, in concrete pressure vessels, local planning authorities are therefore asked to refer the following categories of development proposals for consideration by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government—in Scotland and Wales the Secretary of State—in consultation with the Ministry of Technology:
    1. (a) Any development proposal involving an increase in residential population—or an influx of non-residential population—within a radius of about two-thirds of a mile from the reactors of the station. Standing emergency arrangements apply to this inner zone and, although there should be no need for restriction on any industrial development, any planning application for such development must be referred for consideration of its effect on the emergency plan and on the safe operation of the station.
    2. (b) Any development providing permanent or temporary residential accommodation for more than 50 people—or likely to cause an influx of non-residential population exceeding 50 people—within a radius of between two-thirds and two miles of the reactors of the station. In this outer zone, the aim is to maintain relative stability of population density and distribution so that some extension of the emergency arrangements beyond the two-thirds mile radius would not be hampered in the very unlikely event of an accident at the station having any effect at this distance. There would be no restrictions on industrial development within this outer zone, but planning applications should be referred for information purposes.
  2. 2. Before a site is accepted as suitable for a nuclear power station, account is taken of all known development plans. This is intended to ensure that projected developments in the vicinity of the station should not be hampered. It would not be expected, therefore, that more than a very small proportion of planning applications which would otherwise be acceptable on normal planning grounds would be regarded as unsuitable on nuclear safeguarding grounds.