The petition of residents of Badgworth, Compton Bishop and Mark Parishes,
Declares that the electricity transmission line to be built between Hinkley C Power Station and Avonmouth will have a significant and adverse impact on the visual amenity of this area; further that it will cause significant disruption during construction; further that it will damage the local tourist industry; and further that it fails to employ the most recent technologies for transmitting electricity underground or under the sea.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to use the delay in construction of Hinkley C as an opportunity to re-evaluate the strategic options available for the Hinkley Connection project and to direct that an undersea solution in the Bristol Channel be used instead.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by James Heappey, Official Report, 9 December 2015; Vol. 603, c. 1109.]
[P001661]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (Amber Rudd):
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change announced on 19 January 2016 her decision to grant development consent for Hinkley Point C Connection project. The decision to grant consent was made on the merits of the scheme based on a report and recommendation from the Planning Inspectorate following a six month examination of the proposal. All representations provided to the Secretary of State following the close of examination, including this petition, were fully considered ahead of the decision being made. A copy of the Planning Inspectorate’s report to the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State’s decision can be found at the following link: