Series details EG 2

On 30 January 1981 the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) applied to the Secretary of State for Energy for consent under Section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act 1909, as amended, for the construction of a Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) nuclear power station, Sizewell B, next to an existing nuclear power station near Sizewell, in Suffolk, and for a direction under Section 40 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 that planning permission for the development be deemed to be granted.

Following objections from the Suffolk County Council and Suffolk Coastal District Council and others, the Secretary of State appointed Sir Frank Layfield, QC, to conduct a public inquiry into the CEGB's applications under Section 34(1) of the Electricity Act 1957. Sir Christopher Foster MA, Professor W B Hall, FEng, FIMechE, and Dr J Vennart, CBE, DSc, CPhys, PInstP were appointed as Assessors to assist the Inspector; and Professor J M Alexander DSc(Eng), FEng, FIMechE was appointed in November 1983 to advise on the engineering aspects of the transport of spent nuclear fuel.

On 11 June 1982 a statement was published under Rule 5(1) of the Electricity Generating Stations and Overhead Lines (Inquiries Procedure) Rule 1981 setting out the points which seemed likely to the Secretary of State to be relevant to his consideration of the CEGB's applications. The statement repeated the terms of the Secretary of State's announcement on 22 July 1982 and said that:

"In considering whether the proposed power station should proceed he will take into account the economic, environmental and safety aspect which would be involved, as well as planning aspects. On the information so far available to the Secretary of State, it appears that the following points will be relevant:

(a) the Central Electricity Generating Board's requirement for the power station in terms of the need for secure and economic electricity supply and having regard to the Government's long-term energy policy;

(b) the safety features relevant to the design, construction and operation of the station and in particular the views of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate as the licensing authority;

(c) the arrangements for waste management, in the light of the views of the authorising Departments;

(d) the implications of the proposed development (including both construction and operation) for:

• i agriculture and fisheries;
• ii local employment;
• iii water supply and disposal;
• iv transport requirements;
• v coast protection;
• vi housing and public services generally;
• vii local amenities and in particular areas of special landscape value or nature conservation interest".

The Inquiry was opened by the Inspector, Sir Frank Layfield, QC on 11 January 1983 and sat for 340 days, mainly at the Maltings, Snape, Suffolk. It closed on 7 March 1985. The Inspector delivered the bulk of his report to the Secretary of State on 5 December 1986. The remaining sections were delivered by 13 January 1987.