Prater Sets out Non-Nuclear Vision for Dungeness

Liberal Democrat town, district and county councillor Tim Prater has set out his vision for a tourist-centered Romney Marsh, without a new power station at Dungeness.

In a post at http://www.prater.org.uk/articles/000013/dungeness_the_real_nuclear_option.html on November 24, Cllr Prater questions whether the news is a ‘hammer blow to the local economy … is the best we can do [with the unique environment at Dungeness] to say we must build a nuclear power station on it? Where is our sense of pride?’

Recommending the development of infrastructure to aid potential tourist attractions such as cycling, fishing, Cllr Prater sketches out a vision of a rejuvenated Marsh, with ‘families cycling around the area, with guides, eating in local restaurants serving local food, shopping in local shops proudly selling local produce, visiting a wide range of attractions run by and for local residents, and staying in accommodation built to make the most of the landscape, run and employing local people.’

Drawing parallels with the successful Eden Project in Cornwall, Cllr Prater calls for engagement with local businesses and organisations to ‘develop a plan of a massive increase in tourism to the area.’

The announcement is the first Liberal Democrat reaction to the news on November 9, that Dungeness will not be considered as a site for a new nuclear reactor. Both Conservative and Labour politicians were quick to express their dissatisfaction at the government’s decision. This issue may give the Shepway Liberal Democrats some headaches, as Liberal Democrat policy is ‘Yes to clean energy, no to nuclear.’ (www.libdems.org.uk/.../Policy%20Briefing%20-%20Energy%20and%20Climate%20Change%20Oct%2009.pdf)

Cllr Prater states he is a nuclear sceptic. Despite this he allows himself to go slightly off message, writing ‘after a deplorable lack of research and investment in renewable sources of power over decades…I can see a need for new nuclear build.’

The Shepway Liberal Democrats have to tread carefully. While there have been no wide ranging polls conducted, opinion across the district seems to strongly support a new power station at Dungeness.

http://www.thealldaybreakfast.com/polls/ - should be noted Folkestone and Hythe Conservative site directs traffic to this page.