Local MPs visit Western Gateway’s future nuclear hub

Local MPs, Dr Simon Opher MP (Stroud) and Claire Young MP (Thornbury & Yate) visited the decommissioning nuclear power station at Berkeley on Friday to see what has been described as ‘the nuclear hub of the UK in the future’.

Berkeley and Oldbury are two decommissioning nuclear power stations that combine to make up the Severn Edge Low Carbon Energy Campus, led by the Western Gateway Partnership alongside local authorities, universities and businesses to create new jobs and skills for the area.  Last year, the sites together received over £100m of investment, with UK Government’s Great British Nuclear acquiring the Oldbury site and a consortium of Chiltern Vital Group, Rolls Royce SMR and University of Bristol buying the land in Berkeley.

The Western Gateway hosted a roundtable session with the MPs, Great British Nuclear, Chiltern Vital Berkeley and representatives from the Councils of Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire and Stroud.

As part of the tour, MPs spoke visited the Berkeley Green Campus Science & Technology Park which has now been acquired by Chiltern Vital Berkeley. The new owners are developing a Masterplan which could see the size of the site treble over the coming years with a focus on the potential interest from the nuclear and low carbon energy sectors.

Chris Turner, CEO for CVB said: “This site is steeped in nuclear history as the home of the first purely civil nuclear power station and world-renowned laboratories. Berkeley will again be pioneering the future of the UK nuclear industry as we develop this Masterplan and we have already established European interest in the skills and capabilities that can grow at this site.”

The MPs also visited the South Gloucestershire and Stroud Berkeley GREEN University Technical College which already offers high-quality cyber and engineering courses and was purpose-built to support the long-awaited nuclear potential at Oldbury.

Sarah Williams-Gardener, Chair of the Western Gateway, said: “I am in no doubt that only a pan-regional body like the Western Gateway could have so successfully convened so many partners behind the new nuclear opportunity at Severn Edge. To have the MPs here with the UK Government’s delivery body Great British Nuclear and alongside an incredibly ambitious and energy-specialist development consortium at Berkeley is both exciting and inspiring. The Prime Minister has set out an ambition to simplify planning and deliver at pace and our collective message is that Oldbury and Berkeley are ready to go.”

Dr Simon Opher MP said: “Stroud is already renowned as a site for renewable energy, and so it’s really exciting to see those talents recognised and built on. We do need some nuclear energy to help the transition to net zero, and we have history in that industry locally. This site could give our young people a real opportunity to become specialists in cutting edge technology, gaining valuable training and hopefully going on to well paid jobs in this industry and beyond.”

The site adjacent to Oldbury Power Station has been acquired by Great British Nuclear (GBN), which is working closely with the local community to work out how future new nuclear projects could benefit the area. GBN is also overseeing the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Technology Partner Selection process and is currently in the final stages of this process, with four remaining companies. A final decision on the selected technologies is expected in the spring of 2025.

Claire Young MP said: “I’ve been close to the work of Western Gateway in my previous role at South Gloucestershire Council. I welcome the progress Great British Nuclear are making in the Small Modular Reactors selection which could finally offer some certainty for the future of this site which has been long earmarked for new nuclear. This will bring jobs and skills back to a community with a long nuclear history.”

Cory Reynolds, Director of Communications and Government Relations at Great British Nuclear said: ‘We really welcome the interest from Western Gateway MPs in the potential at Oldbury. This is an important site for growth in this region, the future of UK energy security and securing a Net Zero future for generations to come.”