Cumbria’s county council voted on Wednesday against any further steps towards building a £12 billion underground nuclear waste dump in the area, dealing a blow to the government’s nuclear energy plans.
The government had hoped the northern county, which includes the Lake District and is already home to the Sellafield nuclear plant, would prove suitable for a permanent depository for spent nuclear fuel rods.
But council leaders voted by seven to three against proceeding with studies into the potential dump, which would have been 200 metres or more underground.
The government is seeking a permanent home for nuclear waste currently stored in temporary surface facilities around the country, as well as for waste from a planned new generation of nuclear power stations.
Environmental campaigners cheered outside Carlisle’s council chamber when the result was announced.
Borough councillors in Cumbria’s Copeland had earlier vote 6-1 in favour of moving to the next stage, but the council’s decision means that neither Copeland nor Allerdale borough, also in the county, will be included in the “Managing Radioactive Waste Safely” process.
The county has already taken part in the process for four years and was the only location still in contention after Shepway council in Kent voted to end its involvement.
Eddie Martin, Conservative leader of Cumbria council — which is not controlled overall by any one party — said: “Cabinet believes there is sufficient doubt around the suitability of West Cumbria’s geology to put an end now to the uncertainty and worry this is causing for our communities…Cumbria is not the safest place geologically in the UK.
“Cumbria has a unique and world-renowned landscape which needs to be cherished and protected. While Sellafield and the Lake District have co-existed side by side successfully for decades, we fear that if the area becomes known in the national conscience as the place where nuclear waste is stored underground, the Lake District’s reputation may not be so resilient.”
Councillors called for more investment in Sellafield, including improving its disposal facilities.
Climate secretary Ed Davey said: “I am confident that the programme to manage radioactive waste safely will ultimately be successful, and that the decisions made in Cumbria today will not undermine prospects for new nuclear power stations.
“For any host community there will be a substantial community benefits package, worth hundreds of millions of pounds. That is in addition to the hundreds of jobs and major investment that such a huge infrastructure project could bring.
“We will now embark on a renewed drive to ensure that the case for hosting a GDF ( geological disposal facility) is drawn to the attention of other communities.”
Nuclear plants, home to 17 reactors in total, provide about 20 percent of Britain’s energy.
All but one of the reactors are due to be decommissioned by 2023, but the government wants another 19 built by 2030.
Cumbria rejects nuclear waste dump
