FOUR hearings will be held in Bridgwater next week (August 21 to 24) to discuss issues surrounding the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.

The ‘Issue Specific Hearings’ will be held at Bridgwater and Albion RFC, just off Bath Road, at 10am.

Socio-economic matters will be discussed at the hearing on August 21. Matters will include the effects on the local housing market, the distribution and availability of non-home-based workers accommodation, tourism and effects on businesses.

Traffic and transportation issues will be discussed on August 22. It will look at traffic generation and transport modelling and whether it has been agreed, the adequacy of proposed highway improvements to accommodate construction traffic and other issues.

August 23 will see a report of habitat regulation assessment and ecology in the area. This will include marine ecology, ornithology, water quality and terrestrial ecology.

The week concludes with a special hearing focusing on issues surrounding the Combwich area on August 24.

The implications of docking and undocking simulations for vessels arriving and departing from Combwich Wharf on recreational users of Combwich Pill and the Combwich Motorboat and Sailing Club will be discussed. Other issues include noise and air quality.