Council leaders have reacted angrily to government plans to override their planning authority on nuclear energy plants. The Department of Trade and Industry published its long-awaited energy review on Tuesday (11 July), putting nuclear power back on the agenda. Ahead of publication, government officials warned that, as well as moves towards more renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency, nuclear would play a part in the future. And, as existing nuclear plants are due to be decommissioned in 2023, the replacement of these could become a thorny issue. Industry secretary, Alistair Darling, is expected to prohibit councils from rejecting planning permission for nuclear plants on the grounds they are not needed. The LGA’s environment board chairman, Cllr David Sparks, said: ‘Local people would lose their right to have a say on new development if government proposals to force planning authorities to accept energy plants that are decreed essential go ahead.’ l See feature p19
