By Angus Walker

Today's entry is an update on nationally significant infrastructure projects being considered by the Infrastructure Planning Commission.

Hinkley Point C nuclear power station

The application for the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset is progressing.  A total of 1197 representations were made on it and these have now been published on the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) website.  The preliminary meeting on the application is due to take place on 21 March.  This kicks off the six month maximum period for examining the application, i.e. it must end by 21 September.  There will then be three months for the IPC to make a recommendation and (assuming the Localism Act changes have come in by then) three months for the government to make a decision, i.e. by 21 March 2013.

Sir Mike Pitt, chair of the IPC, has appointed three commissioners to examine the application, leaving open the possibility of appointing more later (the government thought there might be five on the largest applications).  Interestingly two of the three were two of the three on the panel for the only application so far to have completed its examination - the proposed energy from waste project at Rookery South in Bedfordshire.  The IPC is clearly conscious that Hinkley Point C is its most significant application to date and so (given that the third Rookery South commissioner was the Hinkley Point 'pre-application' commissioner) has maximised experience of the regime in its panel appointment.

The provisional list of principal issues for the examination consists of traffic, the development consent order, socio-economic effects, Combwich (a nearby village that I believe is pronounced 'cummidge') and landscape and visual impact.

Other projects

The proposed Kentish Flats windfarm extension has also had its preliminary meeting announced and (this time sole) commissioner appointed.  The former is on the 22 February and the latter is Glyn Roberts, who again has experience of an application, having been on the panel for the proposed energy from waste project at Brig y Cwm near Merthyr Tydfil.  That application did not proceed to completion, however, being withdrawn by the promoter.

Of the two furthest-advanced applicatons before the IPC, both for railway chords being promoted by Network Rail, one has completed its hearings (five days) and the other starts them today.

The IPC has advertised for a specialist geological and geotechnical assessor for the proposed Preesall gas storage project in Lancashire, as the Planning Act allows it to appoint if it considers that specialist advice is needed.

The Rookery South application is to have the memorials objecting to the petitions made against it in Parliament considered on 8 March.

An application has been made for the proposed Triton Knoll windfarm off the Lincolnshire coast by RWE Npower.  The IPC has until 29 February to decide whether to accept it.  This brings the total of applications ever made to 13.

Meanwhile the pipeline of projects remains dry - no new projects have appeared on the overall IPC project list for over three months now.  This could either be a lack of projects coming forward, or a reluctance to announce a project to the IPC until it is good and ready.  If it is the former reason, that would be of some concern given the urgent need for infrastructure.

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