A COUNCIL has rejected an application for ground investigations to take place at the proposed site of a new nuclear power station.

Maldon District Council’s planning committee has rejected Chinese state-backed nuclear developer CGN’s application for permission to carry out ground investigations at the proposed Bradwell B site.

Campaign group Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (Banng) had called for the council to delay permitting the investigations.

The group say they hope to say “good riddance” to the project.

Chairman Prof Andy Blowers said: “From the moment CGN revealed its plans just before lockdown it became clear the Bradwell B project would be dead in the water.

“The massive scale of the project, which would totally overwhelm the Blackwater area and the Dengie peninsula, has proved too much to stomach, even for those who were seduced by the promise of thousands of jobs.

“The price, in terms of loss of environment and wellbeing, was simply too high.

“This has been a very bad week for Bradwell B.

“With mounting concerns about Chinese designs on Bradwell, the project has fallen in its attempt to gain a planning permission to investigate the site.

“The fallacy of entertaining investment by a potentially hostile power in a site that is unviable and unsustainable in the era of climate change has been revealed.

“It is surely only a matter of time before either the UK pulls the plug or the Chinese walk away from a project that is going nowhere.

“After all these years Banng simply says, ‘good riddance’.”

Alan Raymant, CEO at the Bradwell Power Generation Company, said: “Yesterday we were made aware that the district council refused permission for us to undertake surveys needed to develop the proposals for the Bradwell B nuclear power station project.

“We are disappointed by the decision and we don’t agree with it.

“However, we understand there are a range of opinions across the community about the Bradwell B Project, some of which are strongly held, which influenced the council’s decision.

“We will seek to better understand these concerns and consider carefully how we can best address them as we continue to develop the project.

“The feedback from the Stage One consultation that we have just completed will provide a firm foundation that we will build on as we increase our engagement locally.

“Bradwell B is a project of national importance and will bring huge benefits to the local community and we are fully committed to working with community leaders to ensure these are delivered.

“Regardless of the sentiment expressed, I thank everyone who has engaged with us so far. Your comments are extremely valuable.”