Possible Hostile Terrorist Reconnaissance in Shepperdine Says Police Chief!

From Liza-Jane Gillespie of The Gazette

Having lived on Shepperdine Road for eight years I have always been a little concerned that living next to a nuclear power plant may lead to this---It is now interesting that Insp. Mark Lester is also concerned! What will happen if we get an even more prominent target for terrorists?

A DESERTED building near the possible site of a new nuclear power station is to be demolished because of fears about safety and national security.


A Prior Notification of Demolition has been made to South Gloucestershire Council for a property on Shepperdine Road, Oldbury.
The application has been made by Thornbury-based DLP Planning Ltd on behalf of German energy firm E.ON.

Last year E.ON bought hundreds of acres of land between Oldbury and Shepperdine in anticipation of building a new nuclear power station.

Since purchasing the land E.ON is now responsible for the upkeep of all buildings and has already renovated and let several properties.

However, a bungalow on Shepperdine Road has been declared unsafe by surveyors and a security risk by the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

Insp Mark Lester, operational unit commander for Oldbury, said: "Firstly these buildings are a danger to the public in that if they gained entry to the premises they would be in serious danger of injuring themselves.

"Not wishing to stereotype, but I can imagine youths being curious and with a sense of adventure taking a look at this derelict property and ending up injuring themselves.

"Secondly, this is an opportunity for criminal activity, and this and similar buildings have been used to secrete and store stolen property.

"Thirdly it is an opportunity for any potential terrorist to use and adapt this building as a base to carry out hostile reconnaissance."

DLP Planning said a suspended timber floor had collapsed within the bungalow onto the ground floor and that the building contains asbestos.

The company said: "To do nothing would leave the building to fall into an increasingly perilous state of repair."

The firm plans to demolish the bungalow between September and early October to avoid disruption to the local bat population.

To view the application visit www.southglos.gov.uk