A "COMPENSATION package" is being worked up to offset some of the impact of the construction of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.

Hinkley C developer EDF Energy has finally admitted the development will have a major impact on the parish of Stogursey and parish councillors have welcomed the company's tentative proposals.

Although the idea is very much in its infancy, EDF has confirmed a number of "packages" are being considered and would be the subject of further discussion and debate with the parish council in the future.

The news was revealed on Monday when members of Stogursey Parish Council met with EDF representatives, including Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, the chief executive of EDF UK.

A spokesman for the parish council said the meeting had been "positive" and had provided the council with a starting point for further negotiations.

Parish councillors said Mr Cadoux-Hudson had accepted Stogursey Parish would "suffer greatly" as a result of the proposed new power station - the first time anyone from EDF had recognised that fact.

"The meeting turned out to be a positive exchange of ideas and aspirations for the future," the spokesman said.

"The parish council expressed concern that little true benefit would be directed towards the parish, which, after all, would be the most affected.

"EDF made it known that they were looking at several compensation packages for the parish, but it was stressed that these packages were in their infancy and would be subject to further discussion/debate and fine tuning before bringing them back to the parish for further consideration.

"Clearly, Stogursey Parish Council would not want to have compensation projects foisted upon the parish by EDF, but recognise that EDF has at last concluded that compensation measures would be appropriate for the area."

Councillors said they had a duty to ensure whatever was offered was both adequate and appropriate not only for current residents but to safeguard the area for future generations.

During Monday's meeting, councillors were also able to raise their concerns about plans for a 700-worker hostel on-site, the routing of park-and-ride buses and the lack of planned improvements to the main Hinkley Point road.

They told Mr Cadoux-Hudson the scale and siting of the workers' hostel was unacceptable, not least because no justification had been given for it.

Councillors called for "pockets" of houses to be built alongside the A39 corridor for workers to enable the workforce to become fully integrated with local communities.

They criticised a decision to route park-and-ride buses from Williton through narrow lanes in Stringston, Stogursey and Shurton rather than along the main A39 to Cannington.

Councillors also raised concerns about the lack of proposed road improvements, both along the C182 Hinkley road and at the Shurton junction and Clayland corner.

They were told EDF would "consider these points very seriously" and would take the parish's comments into account when drawing up more detailed transport proposals.

Last month, Stogursey parishioners packed into a public meeting and pledged to take on the might of EDF to ensure their concerns were taken into account.

They raised fears about transport links, bus routes, hostel facilities and a "woefully inadequate" community benefit fund.