What's next for defunct nuclear site Hinkley A?
Getty ImagesNuclear power station Hinkley Point A was switched off in 2000 after 35 years in operation.
Today, the site, near Bridgwater in Somerset, is still being decommissioned, a process that will take at least another 30 years.
In the meantime, Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) is hosting sessions to find out what the community wants the site to become – could it be a solar farm, parkland, or a leisure centre?
Here's what the future of Hinkley A could look like.
How does the decommissioning process work?
Hinkley Point A was one of the UK's first-generation nuclear sites. Its two reactors were brought online in 1965 and shut down for good in 2000.
Now, old fuel storage ponds have been drained, cleaned and painted to reduce radiation risks.
The bulk of the decommissioning work is expected to be complete by 2039.
However, the reactor buildings themselves will be left standing, sealed up against the weather, for another 20 to 40 years after that.
The nearby Hinkley Point B is also being decommissioned, after it reached the end of its operational life in August 2022.
Getty ImagesWhy is planning being carried out so far ahead?
It is still a few decades until the site can be safely handed back to the community.
But Bill Hamilton, from NRS, said it was important for planners to determine soon what will happen to the site.
"We need to know quite a way in advance exactly what that end state is to hand it over because that will determine the way we decommission," he said.
Lagoons – or a leisure centre?
NRS is asking residents in Bridgwater for ideas for the site by running interactive digital exhibitions and workshops in the town.
It has suggested a solar farm, leisure centre or green space – but is open to suggestions for "something completely different".
Mark Pitts, Hinkley Point A site director, said: "We want to share more information about the work that we're delivering and seek views that could influence future decisions."
Hamilton said: "Do we have it ready for a brown field site for industrial uses or do we take it to a green field site ready for dog walking or lagoons?"
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