A LOCAL residents’ leader has expressed “disgust” over the possibility of further building on the site of the redundant Sizewell A nuclear plant – currently scheduled to be returned to a “greenfield” state – as part of the C station project.

It has been disclosed that one of the options being considered by EDF Energy to clear the way for Sizewell C is to relocate some of the B station buildings on the A site.

The company says this would minimise the need to build on existing countryside, including a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

But Pat Hogan, who represents Sizewell residents on the local community liaison group, said it would be “disgusting” if new building went ahead on the A site.

Under the approved strategy for the decommissioning of the power station, which ceased electricity generation in 2006, the site was due to be returned to a “greenfield” state.

“If building there is an option, then you would think it would have been mentioned in the Sizewell C public consultation. Nowhere in that document does it talk about using the A site,” she said at the latest meeting of the Sizewell Stakeholder Group (SSG).

Joan Girling, a co-opted member of the SSG and chair of Communities Against Nuclear Expansion, said: “People living at Sizewell would like to know what is going to happen to a power station site some of them have been living next to for the past 45 years.”

Tim Watkins, Sizewell A site director for Magnox Limited, said a great deal of effort had been put into a “scoping” study on behalf of the site owner, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), to identify the potential for new buildings.

It was now up to the NDA and EDF to decide whether to take the idea forward, he said.

An EDF spokeswoman said: “We are looking at several options for relocating some existing B station buildings which are on the C station site. Such relocation would help our overall land-use efficiency for the C station, for example the use of SSSI land.

“Some options for the relocation of Sizewell B buildings involve use of A station land. Exploratory studies have been carried out with NDA/Magnox.

“These studies are currently paused while EDF Energy does a full review of the options.

“Public consultation would be part of any future planning process for building relocation.”