The chief executive of the company behind the proposals for Bradwell B has hailed Ofgem's decision to grant it an electricity generation licence as "an important milestone on the journey to completing the project".

But anti-nuclear campaigners have branded energy regulator Ofgem's decision as "reckless and premature".

The Bradwell B Power Generation Company (BRB) is formed of an alliance between the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) and French power company EDF.

Responding to the news that BRB had been granted the licence, chief executive Alan Raymant said: "This is an important milestone on the journey to completing the Bradwell B project and demonstrates our continued progress.

"The generating licence is one of many licences and permits we will need in order to develop, construct and operate Bradwell B. We will continue to work diligently, developing our proposals and building our team to demonstrate to the various regulatory bodies how we will deliver this vital piece of the UK's national energy infrastructure.

Mr Raymant added: "The news follows the publication this week of the UK Government's Energy White Paper, which renewed the UK's long-standing commitment to developing low-carbon, large-scale, nuclear power as a source of clean, reliable energy."

However, BAN (Bradwell B Action Network), a group opposed to the plans, views the application for the licence as an attempt by BRB to get the go-ahead for the proposed new nuclear plant at Bradwell-on-Sea through "the back door".

In a statement, BAN said: "It is our belief that this premature application is an attempt to use an Ofgem generating licence to bypass the local planning system, environmental laws, national government policy and our democratic processes to enable these works to go ahead.

"In summary, we cannot see justification for allowing this application at this time and that to grant Bradwell Power Generation Company Ltd an electricity-generating licence under these circumstances is reckless at worst, premature at the least and may lead to substantial harm to the communities, ecology and heritage of the immediate surrounding area."

Maldon District Council: latest reaction to the new nuclear plant proposals

These latest developments come alongside news that Maldon District Council, which in August refused to grant planning permission for BRB to carry out investigative groundworks at the Bradwell site, is to send a letter to key Government figures in support of the development by British firm Rolls Royce of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) – potentially as an alternative to the current Bradwell B proposal. You can read about how the council voted on Thursday (17 December) to send that letter here.

Maldon District Council Leader, Councilllor Wendy Stamp, who voted against sending the letter after hearing the council debate, explained the council's position in a statement released after the meeting:

"Maldon District Council is not the decision maker for where nationally strategic infrastructure projects take place.

"The council wants to do all it can to protect the district from the negative impacts to the landscape and environment at Bradwell on Sea from a large scale new nuclear development.

"If the district is destined to receive a new nuclear development, then we must continue to mitigate the negative impacts and also achieve the maximum benefits in terms of our local economy, job, skills and community investment.

"This letter of support for Small Modular Reactor development is in line with the significant planned investment in Small Modular technology set out in the long awaited Energy White Paper published by government on the 14 December.

"Ultimately any application and decision for nuclear development in our district will be decided by the Secretary of State. If we must receive a new nuclear development then a smaller, less impacting development would be some consolation."