NDA pledges £495,000 to aid North Anglesey Economic Regeneration Plan
Chief Executive David Peattie makes commitment during nuclear industry summit in Llangefni.
Anglesey
The NDA has announced funding support of £495,000 to help support the County Council’s North Anglesey Economic Regeneration Plan and create new economic opportunities on the island.
Around 200 visitors from across the UK and overseas gathered at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni Engineering Centre for the 3rd annual NDA Stakeholder Summit (July 9/10th), where Chief Executive David Peattie shared his commitment to supporting communities living near NDA sites.
The funding will contribute to a package of measures aimed at boosting business activity, the supply chain and employment, increasing tourism, improving transport and infrastructure and reviving the High Street.
David Peattie said:
We’re delighted to support the County Council’s North Anglesey Economic Regeneration Plan and look forward to working with the Council and other partners as the initiatives take shape, bringing investment to the island and creating employment opportunities. As a major employer in North Wales, we’re committed to supporting the surrounding communities, whose support is so vital to our work.
Following the community’s disappointment with news about the future of Wylfa Newydd, and the Rehau factory in Amlwch, and taking into account the impacts expected as a result of the Wylfa Power Station decommissioning, the need to produce a robust North Anglesey Economic Regeneration Plan is a priority. The Plan was developed to identify local strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, and identify North Anglesey’s priorities, needs and aspirations.
Isle of Anglesey County Council Leader Llinos Medi said:
As an Authority, we’ve worked with local communities and stakeholders to respond to the challenges facing North Anglesey and focus our efforts on supporting those affected. The plan was shaped by local residents and businesses as part of major consultation process.
The significant funding provided by the NDA is welcomed and will enable us to progress some of the key priorities that have been identified locally to help regenerate North Anglesey.
The 2-day stakeholder event is taking place just a few miles from the NDA’s Wylfa site, a former power station that stopped generating electricity 4 years ago and is now in the process of gradually removing its spent fuel before moving into the full decommissioning phase.
David Peattie added:
I can think of nowhere more appropriate to host our event than at this state-of-the-art Construction Skills Centre. Right next door is the new Energy Centre, which is home to some of the best low-carbon energy training facilities anywhere in the UK. Together, they are providing training for young people from across North Wales for future careers in renewable energy and other technical sectors.
We were delighted to be able to support its development over a number of years with almost £4 million of funding.
He added that Wylfa was now close to completing its defueling programme, which began after electricity generation ended in 2015 and will remove 99% of radioactive hazards from the site. Decommissioning would continue for years to come, requiring skills, good and services.
Among the visitors were representatives from communities around the NDA’s 17 sites, trade unions, regulators and campaign groups. Presentation themes for the first day included progress in cleaning up the legacy from the earliest days of the UK nuclear industry and the UK’s search for a community that would be willing to host a geological disposal site for higher activity radioactive waste.