PLANS for a new roundabout at Washford Cross could be shelved if no further progress is made on the Hinkley C project - and millions of pounds for tourism, leisure facilities and other schemes could also be lost.

There are also fears the ongoing delays could be disastrous for local firms as Government Ministers continue to argue over what price to pay for electricity generated at the proposed power station.

The Washford Cross roundabout was secured by West Somerset Council as part of a planning permission to allow EDF Energy to carry out large-scale works to prepare the site for a new power station.

But unless EDF physically starts to dig the foundations for the new station, no roundabout will be built at the local accident blackspot.

Stogursey district councillor and deputy council leader Cllr Chris Morgan said the uncertainty of not knowing if the station would be built was almost as bad as living with the misery of a ten year-long construction project.

"Local business have borrowed money to invest in staff and equipment so that they will be ready to start on a ten year project, those businesses are now extremely concerned for their future," he said.

"We will have to wait and see whether we will get the long-awaited roundabout at Washford Cross.

"Not knowing what is happening is almost as bad as the thought of ten years of misery."

The hold-up could also have serious repercussions for local councils who took on extra staff to cope with the implications of having Hinkley C on the doorstep and have been using money from EDF to pay their wages.

The district council gave permission for EDF to carry out large-scale site preparation works in the summer of 2011.

An associated legal agreement committed the energy giant to a £30 million funding package to help West Somerset, Sedgemoor and the county council cope with the impact of the clearance of the site.

The money was due to be released in phases, with the first phase of £5.7 million unlocked last year when work began on clearing and fencing the site.

The roundabout is due to be delivered under the phase two, main earthworks section.

But developer EDF Energy has so far got no further than phase one.

As a result, some £1 million specifically for Stogursey and many more millions for the wider West Somerset community are hanging in the balance after preparation work ground to a halt.

This week, West Somerset Council leader Cllr Tim Taylor said the authority was maintaining pressure on the Government to strike a deal with EDF.

The French energy firm recently announced it would be cutting jobs to save money while talks continued with the Government to try and agree a price for electricity generated at the proposed new power station.

Cllr Taylor said: "Understandably, there is a risk if the whole project does not proceed that the Washford Cross roundabout will not be delivered.

"However, we remain hopeful that discussions between Government and EDF Energy will reach a positive conclusion soon.

"I have written to the new Minister for Energy twice in recent weeks to maintain the dialogue between Government and our council on this important subject and we remain in close contact with EDF Energy.

"Both parties remain confident that a deal can be done and that current discussions are bearing fruit.

"Clearly there is a lot at stake and we remain ready to act quickly as and when the project starts in earnest."

The Government gave permission for Hinkley C to be built in March this year and that included EDF's proposals for a construction workers' park and ride facility at Washford.

Andrew Goodchild, West Somerset Council's planning manager, said the roundabout was due to be built before the end of the main earthworks and before the park and ride was completed.

But he remained confident that the roundabout would be built at some point.

"The current delay regarding the whole project means that the construction of the roundabout will not be completed as quickly as originally thought.

"However, the council is aware that progress is being made on the design details of the roundabout which are to be agreed between Somerset County Council and EDF Energy," Mr Goodchild said.