TACIT confirmation has been given that construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station will not be completed until at least the end of 2030.

The timeframe for completing Britain’s first new nuclear power station in a generation has varied in recent years, with successive expected opening dates of 2017, 2025, and 2027 being pushed back to somewhere between 2029 and 2031.

Now, planning applications submitted by EDF, which owns the station, appear to accept the opening will not be before 2030.

The company has been given planning permission by Somerset Council to keep open a bus parking holding site known as Pixies Field until December 31, 2030.

And it has also applied to extend to the same date a 160-space park and ride facility on the Quantock Lakes wedding venue site near Nether Stowey.

The park and ride was approved in 2017 as part of a transport plan for Hinkley C workers to travel to the construction site without using private cars and has been repeatedly extended until permission officially expired on this past New Year’s Eve.

One of the conditions for being allowed to build Hinkley C was that in order to reduce traffic on the roads at least 87 per cent of the workforce must arrive at the construction site by bus.

Up to 15,000 workers are expected to be on the building site by what is called ‘peak construction’ in 2028.

EDF principal planner Emma Chorley said there would not be any extra vehicle movements for the Quantock Lakes park and ride facility.

Ms Chorley said: “No development works are proposed, and no further changes are sought.

“The application seeks consent only to continue the existing permitted use, which will remain temporary in its nature, to support the ongoing construction of this nationally significant infrastructure project.”