An energy firm with its headquarters in Gloucestershire has reached a "significant milestone" in its bid to build the next generation of UK nuclear power stations.

Brockworth-based Horizon Nuclear Power has had its plans for a new power station at Wylfa Newydd in North Wales formally accepted for consideration by the Planning Inspectorate.

In addition, four other key environmental permits have been cleared to begin their assessment by Natural Resources Wales.

Which means two things - one, that the French-owned business, which expects to be catapulted towards FTSE 100 status when its projects become operational

And secondly that someone in the Planning Inspectorate has read the 41,000 pages of its Development Consent Order (DCO) submission and ruled it meets the standards required.

Duncan Hawthorne, CEO of Horizon Nuclear Power, said: "This is a significant milestone for Horizon and an important step on the path to having all the permissions we need to build Wylfa Newydd."

"The power station will not only deliver huge benefits for Anglesey, where it will provide top-quality employment for local people and significant opportunities for local businesses, but it will also play a key role in the UK's energy future, delivering much-needed low carbon, safe and secure power for decades to come."

The DCO process now formally starts with the pre-examination phase.

This is where members of the public are invited by the Planning Inspectorate to become an Interested Party by making a Relevant Representation.

An examining authority is also appointed at the pre-examination stage, and all interested parties will be invited to attend a preliminary meeting, run and chaired by the examining authority.

Horizon's application for a Marine Licence, Operations Combustion permit, Operations Water Discharge permit and Construction Water Discharge permit were "duly made" by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and have now progressed to the next stage of their respective determination processes, with NRW having launched a public consultation process.

The approvals come after the Ministerial Statement made to the House of Commons by Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy confirming that Wylfa Newydd is the next project in the UK's nuclear new build programme and announcing the commencement of formal negotiations between Horizon and the UK Government on financing support for the project.

"It also follows the positive 'opinion' from the European Commission for the Wylfa Newydd project under Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty which stated that the station will not have significant health or environmental impacts on other Member States," said a statement from Horizon.

The good news for jobs and investment in Wales comes just days after the south of the country was hit by bad news when it was finally confirmed by Government the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project, led by Gloucester firm Tidal Lagoon Power, was dead in the water.

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