Anglesey - Island of Opportunity?

The Nuclear Option

Dear readers

Today's Times sets out the reality of the Wylfa B situation.

The suggestion in essence is that the consortia likely to succeed Horizon's partners RWE and E.ON are likely to be sovereign wealth backed.

What surprises me is that the foremost authority on NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) development is Russia and Russian NPP's are springing up all over the world. This is not mentioned in The Times but should not be ruled out as an option for Wylfa B.

The British Government need to act soon to secure nuclear as part of the country's energy mix but the solution and finance in reality will come from outside Britain and maybe even Europe.

End

More Anglesey Enterprize Zone press releases ....!

Dear Readers

Further info released today by Edwina Hart's department.

Click on these links:

1. ITV and;

2. BBC

However, more detail is required regarding the available incentives, tax breaks for both developers and occupiers.

Stay tuned

Anglesey - Huhne step down + new appointment and the timing effect of Wylfa B?

Just announced that Chris Huhne, Energy Minister is to step down in light of the CPS decision to press charges given sufficient evidence yielded by Huhne's ex-wife Vicky Price regarding speeding penalty points he apparently asked her to take. They since had a bitter divorce.

However Chris Huhne is expectes to step down as Energy Minister and David Laws (Lib Dem) be appointed in his place.

What effect will this have the decision making for proceeding with Wylfa B

A decision was awaited imminently!

Will the new appointment be pro-nuclear rather than Huhne?

Stay tuned

Anglesey - Llangefni sites selected for "Enterprise Zone" status.

Readers will be aware that this site frst advocated an Enterprize Zone (EZ) for Anglesey.

Holyhead has seen it's fair share of assistance from WAG at Parc Cybi and £155m of investment (for the town) over the preceeding 10 years.

Now it seems it's Llangefni's turn for some attention. Under the concept of "Energy Island" it seems individual sites have been earmarked for EZ status. The EZ status applies to "Energy Generation or otherwise linked or related to this sector only"

It is understood that Coleg Menai and Bryn Cefni are being consdered as well as the two long term sites earmarked for "employment zoning" in the joint LDP in Llangefni viz; Dafarn Newydd (Penmynydd Road next to Coleg Menai) and Lledwigan (Glanhwfa Road).

Details are somewhat sketchy at the moment however will be clarified post 13th February 2012.

See BBC online here and News Wales here

Anglesey - is Llangefni part of a social engineering project?

I live in London but I am in Anglesey every week or so and therefore I do notice periodic changes in Ynys Mon. As a Welshman living in London since 1987, I do appreciate the rich mix of tapestry and what it offers the capital city of the British Isles and indeed, the world. We have every nation on earth represented in London......but what about Anglesey?

The one thing I notice more than anything is the absence of a diverse ethnic background in Anglesey, indeed in North Wales. However, over the past few months I have noticed a change and until today thought nothing of it until I discovered what the majority of people in Gwynedd and Anglesey may be unaware of this situation generally.

It seems there are "organisations" that are placing young people in the locality but the local population seem totally unaware of why this is happening. I will be asking the very diplomatic wordsmith from the locality to contribute having done his research however I can reveal there are about 76 organisations in the Mon / Menai Are that carry on various roles including re-locating prison offenders. Why are we not told about these things by Anglesey and Gwynedd Councils. Who makes these decisions that will inevitably shape the future?

Did you know about re-settling offenders and do you care?

Stick around and I will hopefully provide you with more information soon.

Stay Tuned!

Anglesey CC to "dispose of Graigwen"

Sources have confirmed that the Council's land at Graigwen is subject to disposal in the next few weeks with planning permission for housing......(getting rid of a problem?)

I do not understand this disposal strategy - and here I explain why.

Anglesey Council seeks to capture as much affordable housing from developers as possible despite rising build costs (such as sprinklers) with falling margins (selling prices)

It's about time Anglesey Council either:

a) Made Graigwen available as plots for self-build (but a scheme that works this time please viz; where land prices value to the correct level with the restrictions imposed?)
b) Built-it out themselves as affordable housing

I doubt the permission at Graigwen is optimised in any case....looks a bit light to me with just 30 units.

Your comments are welcome!

Stay tuned

Anglesey - Burgess site, Llangefni - demolition proceeding

Herewith photo of the rear of Burgess being demolished.

Anglesey "ENTERPRISE ZONE?"

Welsh AM Edwina Heart has announced five new Enterprise Zones in Wales responding to Tory plans announced earlier in 2011.

The first five enterprise zones will include Anglesey, Ebbw Vale, StAthan, Cardiff and Deeside.

This is a SIGNIFICANT step forward for Anglesey likely to reap huge benefits.

An earlier story HERE called for Anglesey to be awarded EZ status last year.

This is fantastic news for Anglesey and a step in the right direction. I predict an increase in the salaries of Anglesonians!

The item that does need urgent repealing is the new law that requires all homes in Wales to have sprinklers. This is an "on cost" of £3,500 per new home.....whatever happened to smoke detectors?

End

BBC E-mail: Newport enterprise zone 'anger'

I saw this story on the BBC News iPhone App and thought you should see it.

** Newport enterprise zone 'anger' **
Newport council hits out after being overlooked from a policy to nurture businesses in five new enterprise zones across Wales.
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-14993381 >

** BBC Daily E-mail **
Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all in one daily e-mail
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/email >

** Disclaimer **
The BBC is not responsible for the content of this e-mail, and anything written in this e-mail does not necessarily reflect the BBC's views or opinions. Please note that neither the e-mail address nor name of the sender have been verified.

Sent from my iPhone

Anglesey Council - the machine works overtime to "break" Valley Market

Readers may not be aware that:

• Anglesey Council Trading Standards themselves run the Council's markets in Llangefni, Holyhead and Amlwch.
• Council Markets have suffered a steady decline over the past 10 years, primarily because of "mismanagement" by Trading Standards
• Trading Standards some time ago awarded a cleaning contract to a company to clear up after each market held in Llangefni - that contract was apparently for 10 years at £14,000 per annum.
• Trading Standards continue to run its own Markets despite obiter dicta from a High Court case suggesting good practice would be to separate the two functions; viz the Council should not run its own markets and also police markets - which amounts to a conflict of interest.
• Trading Standards have discriminated in the charging of non-Council markets. They have distinguished by whether the market is charitable or not and has priced their "levy" accordingly.
• Trading Standards continue to interfere with non-Council markets and in the case of Valley Market have recently instigated "flying visits" from North Wales Police, North Wales Fire Brigade making safety checks and Anglesey Council Public Health Dept. Clearly there is a backchannel dialogue designed to "rough up" Valley Market.
• Trading Standards cannot but interfere with "private business"...with their red tape.