Sizewell blockaded for democracy

IssueApril 2010
News by David Polden

At 6.40am on 22 February, anti-nuclear power activists from the recently-formed “People Power not Nuclear Power Coalition” began a blockade of Sizewell nuclear power station. They said they were demonstrating against the flawed government consultation on nuclear new build, which ended that day, and the dumping of local democracy.

Under the 2008 Planning Act a new unelected quango, the Infrastructure Planning Commission, will make decisions on “nationally significant infrastructure,” including power stations, and local consultation will be limited to relatively unimportant matters. The government plans to build 10 new nuclear power stations, including one at Sizewell to be among the first.

Four of the blockaders had their hands locked together inside concrete blocks. It was not until 2.40pm, after eight hours in the cold and wet, that the last blockader was drilled out and, like the other three, arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. The protest garnered good coverage in the local press.

Topics: Nuclear power