The meeting was friendly and constructive and discussed possible ways forward for these important parcels of land. The discussions are on-going and have raised a number of issues that the committee is looking at carefully. We are cautiously optimistic that the discussions will lead to a satisfactory outcome for this contentious issue. We shall keep members informed as soon as we are able to do so.

Friends of Quantock are the Amenity Society for the Quantock Hills and were founded in 1949 to preserve and enhance the natural landscape of the Quantock Hills representing both the local community and a much wider group of people who know and love the Quantocks.

We have followed the proposals for Hinkley Point C with some concern and have attended several of the presentations, as well as studying the various documents made public.

Our principal concern is naturally the intrusive impact that the proposal will have on the AONB. While the buildings are well outside the AONB, their impact will have a very major effect on nearly all areas of the AONB and indeed will dominate all outward views to the north and east. While we certainly support all measures to mitigate the impact, we fear that nothing will prevent the buildings having a very serious negative effect on a very important landscape that is of great value both to the locality community and the national interest. The scale of this impact appears to be acknowledged in the latest consultation documents issued last October. The impact will not only be during daylight hours, as light pollution from the buildings and associated works will also have a negative effect on the Quantock environment.

Other concerns centre on the traffic generated by the development, particularly during the construction phase. The narrow and winding section of the A39 east of Williton passes through the AONB and, whatever measures are taken, there is bound to be a considerable impact on what is already a dangerous stretch of road. We also feel that there will inevitably be increased use of the narrow lanes around the AONB and on the two routes across the hills. This will increase the accident rate, damage verges and passing places, and increase litter and vandalism as well as producing higher levels of noise and pollution.

As a voluntary Society we do not have the resources to comment in detail on the voluminous documentation of the proposal but, as a member of the Joint Advisory Committee for the Quantocks, we work closely with the AONB Service and are fully supportive of the views and representations made on their behalf.

Friends of Quantock are taking part in an interesting experiment that could have far-reaching implications for our landscape. Seeds from the surviving trees have been collected and grown on.  We have taken delivery of 11 of these young trees – they are tiny and will be kept in a vegetable garden before being planted out.   We will monitor them carefully to see whether they really are a different strain, but it will be some years before we shall know. Perhaps our grandchildren will once again enjoy the great Elms of the past.