NORTH Somerset’s MP, Sadik Al-Hassan, objects to the creation of a salt marsh in the corner of his constituency, claiming his constituents are being “shut out of the conversation.” 

The proposed salt marsh at Kingston Seymour, which sits on the boundary with the neighbouring Wells and Mendip Hills constituency, is one of four sites earmarked on the Severn Estuary by EDF as environmental mitigation measures for its construction of Hinkley Point C. The other sites include Littleton, Arlingham and Rodley.

Last week, a debate took place in Parliament, led by Sir Ashley Fox, MP for Bridgwater, to scrutinise EDF’s recently withdrawn proposal for an 800-acre salt marsh at Pawlett Hams. Tessa Munt, MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, who was also in attendance.

In a letter to Kingston Seymour Parish Council ahead of a meeting held on Monday, 14 October to discuss the proposed salt marsh, Al-Hassan said: “My constituents are concerned about what these proposals might mean for the effectiveness of the flood defences surrounding Clevedon, an area already prone to flooding. My constituents are concerned about treasured and irreplaceable historic relics such as the Roman seawall being damaged.”

He continued: “My constituents are concerned about the heavy handiness of EDF threatening farms going back generations with Compulsory Purchase Orders. But above all my constituents are concerned that they are being left in the dark. That they are being shut out of the conversation.”

The proposal for the Kingston Seymour salt marsh would see 1,500 acres of land flooded between Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon. Farmers across the affected area have urged EDF to drop the plan. Hinkley Point held an earlier engagement session with Kingston Seymour Parish Council in late September. The Parish Council observed that EDF is “not yet ready to submit anything for formal consultation within the community, at the earliest this will be in the New Year.”

Al-Hassan continued in his letter to say: “Having looked at the proposals myself, I cannot help but think EDF is purposefully seeking to waste our time in the hopes the Government might drop the mitigation measures required in their original planning permission.”

He proceeded: “They [EDF] have now turned their gaze upon our neck of the woods in the hopes our resolve will prove weaker! Frankly, I'm bewildered how EDF can think the EA will stand by while they deliberately weaken flood defences.”

“EDF clearly aren't familiar with this area or its people if they think we aren't every bit up to the challenge of stopping a proposal so clearly at odds with sensibility."

Sadik Al-Hassan MP has confirmed he will be meeting with the Environment Agency’s Wessex Area Director next week. He is also in the process of organising a meeting with EDF and Clevedon Town Council.