PEOPLE in Williton will be given the chance to air their views on controversial proposals for a 200-bed hostel and 350-vehicle park and ride facility at a public meeting in the village.

Local parish councillors are staging the event on January 4 in a bid to gauge the feeling in the community before submitting their formal comments to French company EDF Energy, which wants the development for construction workers for a proposed nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.

The accommodation and parking facilities would be built on one of two earmarked greenfield sites - land to the west behind Mamsey House residential care home or to the east on fields beyond Catwell.

Parish council clerk Jude Johnson-Smith said a representative from EDF would be at the meeting, which was being held as part of the Hinkley C consultation process.

She said the main issue would be how the proposals would affect Williton.

A pre-application document drawn up by EDF makes it clear the company would be prepared to use compulsory purchase powers if negotiations with landowners fail.

And it also says if neither site is accepted, an alternative would have to be found in the surrounding area.

Some parish councillors are known to be keen for EDF to consider a number of existing brown field land within the village, rather than developing the earmarked sites, both of which are outside the existing building line.

The meeting will get underway at 6.45pm at Danesfield Middle School and will be followed by the monthly meeting of the parish council no later than 8pm at which councillors will decide their response on the EDF proposals.

Anyone wishing to speak at the meeting should contact Mrs Johnson-Smith on 01984 633979 or by email [email protected]">[email protected].