Bristol Evening Post---Silent Protest Article from 2nd February

Please remember it is imorptant for DECC and the Government to realise that new nuclear power plants at Oldbury is just not acceptable:-

Remember our Silent Protest at Thornbury prior to the meeting at The Leisure Centre at 9.15am.

Message of silence over nuclear plan


Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Bristol Evening Post

Campaigners opposed to a new nuclear power station near Bristol will stage a silent protest before Government officials hold a public debate on the proposal.

Demonstrators with placards will meet outside the event venue in Thornbury to show their anger and frustration at the consultation and planning process involved in the controversial expansion of atomic energy.

They said they were concerned the public were being heard but not listened to by those who will decide if a new nuclear plant should be built next to the existing Oldbury nuclear station at Shepperdine, just outside Thornbury.

The debate this weekend has been organised by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and has already had to be moved to a bigger venue because of the high demand for seats.

Instead of taking place at the Turnberries community building, it has been switched to Thornbury Leisure Centre's Severnside complex, which can accommodate at least 200 people.

But a three-day exhibition will still be held at Turnberries from Thursday to Saturday.

Reg Illingworth, of Sane – Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy – said many people were still unaware of the "complicated" process involved in having their say on the planned new station.

Some people are also still unaware that the debate and exhibition are taking place.

He said: "We've done our best to let as many people as possible know and to encourage them to register to go to the debate so it's interesting that a bigger venue has had to be found. I'd like them to have to move to the Colston Hall because that's even bigger."

Mr Illingworth said Sane was also about to distribute a number of postcards to households in the Thornbury area as a way of keeping them informed.

Alan Pinder, of South Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth, said: "The number of people who have already registered to go to the debate has obviously taken DECC by surprise otherwise they wouldn't have booked the smaller Turnberries in the first place."

Mr Pinder said there was also anger in Bristol that no debate was being held there, even though any new power plant would only be a few miles from the city boundary.

Energy companies Eon UK and RWE npower want to build a station there and have formed Horizon Nuclear Power to promote their scheme.

The exhibition in Turnberries will be open on Thursday and Friday from 9am to 7pm and on Saturday from 9am to 4pm. The debate at the leisure centre on Saturday will run from 10am to noon, with registration from 9am.