PROSPECTIVE Hinkley C developer EDF Energy has welcomed the "commitment" shown by local councils to its plans for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, despite facing a barrage of criticism.

Dan Pritchard, EDF's regional media manager, said the firm was looking forward to continuing to work with local councils, although all three local authorities - West Somerset Council, Sedgemoor District Council and Somerset County Council - have lodged concerns about the "inadequacies" of many of EDF's proposals.

The firm has just finished a third public consultation on its revised proposals for the Hinkley site and is due to submit an application for the power station to the Infrastructure Planning Commission in the near future.

In a statement, Mr Pritchard said: "We're pleased that the councils have said they are committed to the project and aim to achieve "positive outcomes", recognising that progress is being made."

As reported in last week's Free Press, West Somerset councillors have raised further concerns about the amount of money offered by the company to compensate local communities affected by its development - up to £20 million from an original £1 million pot.

The council is also opposed to plans for 24/7 working on site and has maintained the concerns raised during a previous round of consultation, which concluded that the adverse impacts of the development outweighed any benefits it would bring to the local community.

Andrew Goodchild, the district council's planning manager, said councillors were finding it difficult to support EDF's current proposals because they still fell "woefully short".

"We have a duty to our communities to explain to Government and to EDF that we still have very significant and unresolved concerns about the proposals in their current form," Mr Goodchild said.

Kerry Rickards, chief executive of Sedgemoor District Council, said his authority was becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of evidence provided by EDF to support many of its claims.

He said: "We recognise that progress has been made on certain aspects of EDF's preferred proposals in the stage two updated proposed changes but we are concerned that a lack of information has led to the full impacts remaining unclear to either the councils or the wider communities."

There was a similar message from Somerset County Council, which, in a statement, said that although significant improvements had been made, there was still a way to go.

The authority said it remained positive about the potential opportunities a new nuclear power station could bring to the county but said more details were desperately needed.

County council leader Cllr Ken Maddock said: "We welcome the project and will do what we can to help with the UK's energy needs.

"But, it has to be right for the residents, businesses and environment of the county and EDF still has some way to go in getting the proposals up-to-scratch."

Mr Pritchard said a new power station would provide 5,000 jobs for Somerset people and the equivalent of £100 million in community investment.

"A new power station at Hinkley Point would be good news for the people of Somerset and play a crucial role in creating a low carbon for future generations.

"The majority of people in Somerset want it to happen."

He said EDF had consulted widely on its plans, held 37 public and workplace exhibitions, more than 70 community meetings, launched a consultation website and held regular "engagement" with local councils and statutory bodies.

"We've welcomed the feedback, listened carefully to what was said and have amended our plans accordingly," he said.

Under the latest set of preferred proposals, EDF has relocated its planned park and ride from Williton to the Smithyard Terminal at Washford, proposed a number of road improvements and reduced the size of the on-site workers' hostel.