Agenda and minutes

Apologies as noted above.

To receive any declaration of interest by any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

Councillor G.O. Jones wished it to be noted that he is currently employed at Wylfa Power Station.

To submit a report by the Corporate Director (Sustainable Development) and other Senior Officers in relation to the above.

Additional Background Papers :-

http://www.anglesey.gov.uk/business/energy-island/energy-island-news/new-nuclear-build-at-wylfa-supplementary-planning-guidance/123426.article

The Chair welcomed the relevant Officers to the meeting together with Mr. Alex Melling - AMEC Environment & Infrastructure to the meeting.

Submitted – a report by the Corporate Director (Sustainable Development) and other Senior Officers in relation to the above.

The Corporate Director stated that given the scale, complexity and timescales of the proposed New Nuclear Build, the preparation and adoption of the SPG is a priority activity for the County Council.  The SPG will contribute towards ensuring that the potential known impacts of the New Nuclear Build and its associated developments are identified, avoided, mitigated and compensated where possible; and that the socio-economic benefits associated with the construction and operation of the power station are fully realised.

The preparation of the SPG has been co-ordinated by the Economic and Community Regeneration Service under the guidance of a number of County Council Senior Officers.  AMEC Environment & Infrastructure (the County Council’s providers of multi-disciplinary support and expertise) have been responsible for drafting the document.  Resources to fund the preparation of the SPG have been secured through the Planning Performance Agreement with Horizon Nuclear Power. 

The Principal Development Officer (Strategy) gave a slide presentation to the Committee and noted that the SPG’s project wide guiding principles are :-

·        Supporting the Energy Island Programme and Enterprise Zone;

·        Local Job Creation & Skills and Development;

·        Employment Logistics;

·        Local Supply Chain;

·        Supporting Tourism;

·        Maintaining & Enhancing Community Facilities;

·        Health & Wellbeing;

·        Community Cohesion;

·        Workers Accommodation;

·        Maintaining & Strengthening Welsh Language & Culture;

·        Transport & Utilities;

·        Conserving & Enhancing the Natural & Historic Environments;

·        Planning Obligations & Community Benefits;

·        Use of Council Powers;

·        Waste;

·        Climate Change.

He noted that 7 Zones have been identified which seek to guide the New Nuclear Build’s associated developments to Anglesey’s largest settlements and along key transport corridors (i.e. areas which the Council is minded to prefer and support).

Mr. Alex Melling from AMEC gave a brief presentation to the Committee in respect of the draft SPG.

Formal consultation on the SPG commenced in February 2014 and a total of 52 individual responses received.  The nature of the comments received included the need to :-

·        Ensure jobs for local people, especially young people;

·        Maximise contract and supply chain opportunities for local businesses;

·        Provide appropriate skills training;

·        Ensure construction workers are accommodated in suitable locations;

·        Minimise negative impacts of the Island’s tourism sector;

·        Minimise the impact of road improvements along the A5025;

·        Mitigate potential impacts on local communities and the Welsh language.

Issues raised by Members :-

·             Concerns raised to the lack of mention of the A5025 from Amlwch to Menai Bridge within the SPG.  The Officers responded that the workers that will be travelling to the site will be transported from a central location due to security issues and to ease the traffic on the Island’s transport network;

·             Matters raised in respect of capacity and expertise within the relevant department in respect of the scale of the nuclear new build at Wylfa.  The Corporate Director (Sustainable Development) responded that a Major Consent Team exists to deal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.