Published: Monday, 7th July, 2008 2:57pm

Council back new Hunterston nuclear

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COUNCILLORS have agreed to give their backing to a third nuclear power station in North Ayrshire.

They voted almost two-to-one in favour of a motion which will call on the council to urge the Scottish Government to provide support to British Energy should they commit to a Hunterston C station.

Conservative Councillor for West Kilbride, Robert Barr, who put forward the motion, claimed that a replacement to Hunterston B was vital for the ecomony of the area, with 530 people employed at the site and millions of pounds being brought into the area.

Fellow Tory Councillor Pat McPhee added that there were also environmental reasons to back a new station with millions of tons in carbon emissions being saved per year through nuclear power.

Mrs McPhee said: 'To get the same annual benefit all of the cars in Scotland would have to be removed from the roads.'

However, the motion was blasted by the SNP, with Councillor Matt Brown arguing that the cost of subsidies and decommissioning were not being taken into account by those backing the motion.

See rest of story in Largs News of 02/07/08