Inquiry set to open into N-station plans

Nov 7 2002 By Helen Harper, Caernarfon And Denbigh Herald

A PUBLIC planning inquiry starts next Tuesday into proposals to lower the height of the two big buildings at the Trawsfynydd power station and to build an intermediate-level waste store on site.

Trawsfynydd's situation within the National Park makes it unique for a nuclear power station, and the National Assembly for Wales called in the applications and decided they should be subject to a public inquiry, which is being held at Penrhyndeudraeth Memorial Hall.

The site is run by BNFL Environmental Services, and in 1994, shortly after the power station closed, a consultation exercise was carried out to ask for the public's views on the site.

The local community made it clear they wanted the visual impact of the site to be reduced by lowering the height of the power station's two former reactor buildings.

This planning application seeks permission to lower the height of the buildings from 55 metres to 35 metres and to construct a building to store intermediate-level waste (ILW) which has been generated on site.

The ILW store, which will be 91 metres long, 34 metres wide and 19 metres high, is needed until a national repository for ILW is built.

The project is expected to bring a welcome jobs boost to the local community.

Keith Spooner, BNFL Environmental Services site manager at Trawsfynydd, said: "We have worked closely with the local community and Snowdonia National Park for more than eight years to draw up plans in keeping with Trawsfynydd's unique location.

"The site will also be landscaped to help further integrate the altered buildings into their surroundings. We have already planted more than 40,000 native trees and additional planting willfurtherreduce the visual impact of the site."

As well as lowering the height of the former reactor buildings, the roofs will be curved to be more sympathetic with the landscape and the walls will be clad in a range of materials including local Ffestiniog slate and special coloured stainless steel panels.

The inquiry is expected to hear evidence for three weeks fro m November 12, before it breaks for a week and resumes for a planned final week on December 9.