Sedgemoor District Council believes EDF Energy has played down the impact Hinkley C would have on the district.

At a special council meeting on Wednesday, councillors unanimously backed a report which complained EDF's proposals for two new nuclear reactors were badly lacking in information in important areas, and would not properly compensate the area for all the disruption the construction and operation of the plant would cause.

Plans for the site and associated accommodation, transport, freight facilities and park and ride services were detailed in a 9,000 page document created by EDF, but the council believes the firm is not properly mitigating against the negative impacts of the development.

A 600-page response from the council argued EDF's proposals did not reflect the council's Bridgwater Vision and that there were no detailed explanations about the impact Hinkley C would have on town facilities or about the proposed transport strategy.

At Wednesday's meeting, Cllr Anne Bown said: “Bridgwater comes to a gridlock now - to put all that traffic on that road with the existing traffic would be disastrous.”

Council leader Duncan McGinty said: “We are well aware that the document is flawed and it's up to us to provide that evidence to show where the flaws are.

“If this is going to be imposed upon us, we need to do our bit to get the most for our communities.”

Sedgemoor District Council, West Somerset Council and Somerset County Council are all responding to EDF's phase two consultation on Hinkley C before it closes on October 4, but the final decision on whether permission is granted for the new nuclear power station will rest with a bigger, Government-created body.