SEDGEMOOR District Council has warned energy bosses not to ‘ride roughshod’ over Bridgwater on Hinkley Point – as new details of the ground-breaking project emerge.

At a meeting of the council’s executive committee today it was revealed that up to 200 lorries-a-day could make their way through Bridgwater and Cannington to a new nuclear build at Hinkley during its construction.

EDF Energy is expected to lodge a planning application for the proposed Hinkley ‘C’ with the Infrastructure Planning Commission later this year.

But the French company, which is conducting consultation across Sedgemoor for the proposed reactor project, was criticised for not giving the council enough time to challenge or contribute to its plans.

Kerry Rickards, Sedgemoor District Council’s chief executive, said: “EDF must not think they can ride roughshod over this council’s priorities.

“It is not right that they give us a 10,000 page document with not much time to rubber stamp it.

“We need to challenge them openly if we feel they are not being transparent enough.”

EDF have also been pressed on its benefits plan for the area – after the council resolved to advise them that it was expecting a ‘significant’ community package. Mr Rickards added: “There is going to be disruption to people’s lives because of Hinkley and there is no reason why there should not be benefits for that.”

The council indicated it would like to pursue a community chest scheme – which would see any financial contribution from EDF distributed across Sedgemoor.

But Alan Beasley, chairman of the Save Cannington Action Group – campaigning against EDF’s plans – was cynical about any community cash.

He told the Mercury: “I would rather see the money come from central Government.”