The Hinkley C project has been signed and sealed with the visit of the Chinese Premier last week – and now it needs to be delivered.

President Xi Jinping and David Cameron held talks at Chequers and the leader of the Communist superpower also visited Manchester for more talks on investing in the British economy. In a joint statement the two leaders said the trip as opening a "golden era" in UK-China relations and the final piece in the financial jigsaw for the Hinkley C nuclear power station.

Bridgwater’s Labour mayor Leigh Redman said: “It was great that this announcement has given a little clarity around the build. I look forward to the final investment decision that will allow things to really get started, the town council’s position has always been to seek the best for the people of Bridgwater.”

The news was also welcomed by the area’s two local Conservative MPs. Iain Liddell Grainger for Bridgwater said: “The Chinese President Xi Jinping and David Cameron have unveiled a deal by which China’s nuclear industry will buy out one third of the cost of building the new power stations at Hinkley Point. The agreement is worth £6billion and it now ensures that the project can be completed successfully. This is tremendous news for Somerset and for everyone in the constituency. Hinkley will bring huge rewards for the area as well as ensuring that the lights stay on.”

James Heappey the MP for Burnham and Wells said: “This is fantastic news for Somerset: Hundreds of millions of pounds in investment, tens of thousands of jobs and supply chain opportunities across Somerset and beyond. This will electrify our local economy for decades; requiring the development of new skills and positioning us as the centre of the UK’s civil nuclear industry. The impact on our county will be tremendous.”

There has been criticism in many quarters that the price is too high in the building of the station and the eventual price agreed for the energy it produces. Mick Lerry of Sedgemoor’s Labour Group said his party had referred the matter to the Public Accounts Committee to examine the deal as to whether it represented value for money for the tax payer.

Mr Heappery said in response: “The agreed strike price of £92.50 is certainly not cheap but it is competitive with renewables like off-shore wind and brings a reliability that allows it to operate as our base-load. It is also the first in a series of deals to build new nuclear power stations and, as such, paves the way for cheaper strike prices to be negotiated on further projects.”

There has also been concern over the need to ask China to help bank roll the project with the Chinese nuclear industry injecting around a third of the total cost. Roy Pumfrey of Stop Hinkley said that China should be considered the bank of last resort. He said: “Peter Hitchings in the Daily Mail wrote that some of the protestors last week in London who were campaigning for human rights in china were bullied and had their flats raided by the police. It’s not something for a country that prides itself being a democracy and freedom of speech should allow.”

Further concerns were raised by Sedgemoor Cllr Mick Leigh said there was also a huge gap in the finances and the work on building the power station was not going to start yet. He said: “We’ve gone from £16bn to £24bn and there’s still a gap in the investment for other investors to come in.”

In a comment piece in the Mercury Cllr David Hall for Somerset County Council reminded residents of the huge number of jobs that would be created and have already been created as the county gears up for the project. He wrote: “Major investment in our infrastructure is already well underway with more to come. The new roundabout at Washford Cross, the Cannnington Bypass and the improvements at Taunton Road/Broadway, are just three of EDF Energy’s multi-million pound schemes that will increase capacity on our roads and minimise the impact from HPC construction traffic.

And he said the jobs created would impact on the local economy with opportunities for local firms, contractors and residents to work in the nuclear economy. He said: “Hinkley Point C is expected to provide at least 25,000 jobs during construction, 900 jobs throughout its planned 60 year operating life with at least 5,000 people from Somerset expected to work directly on the project. Somerset County Council and the Somerset Chamber of Commerce are committed to ensuring that the businesses and residents of Somerset fully benefit from the employment opportunities the project will bring. During its planned 60 year operating life, Hinkley Point C is expected to bring around £40 million into the local economy every single year.”

What do think about the Hinkley deal? Should we have gone in with the Chinese? Should it be built at all? or is the plan to be welcomed bringing as it will thousands of new jobs and opportunities. Your views to harry.mottram@nqsw.co.uk