‘Search area’ revealed for Lincolnshire coast nuclear storage facility
The plans have been causing debate for some time
Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) became part of Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) in January 2022 and is looking at potentially building a nuclear waste storage site at Theddlethorpe. | Photo: Kurnia Aerial Photography
A ‘search area’ has been identified for a proposed nuclear storage facility on the Lincolnshire coast to ‘safely and securely dispose of higher activity radioactive waste’.
Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) is exploring the possibility of using Theddlethorpe’s former gas terminal as an entry site to a nuclear storage dump, and today announced Mablethorpe, as well as the Withern & Theddlethorpe ward will be included in its ‘search area’ for the proposed facility.
In a controversial move, Lincolnshire County Council’s executive last year voted in favour of joining a nuclear storage working group with council leader Martin Hill as LCC’s representative.
The map of the search area.
The Theddlethorpe GDF (Geological Disposal Facility) Working Group held a media meeting at Kenwick Park Hotel in Louth on Tuesday, February 8, when the ‘search area’ was announced. This is the geographical area within which the GDF developer will look to find a potential site.
The search area will cover two district council electoral wards – Withern & Theddlethorpe, and Mablethorpe. (The area has to be based on district electoral ward boundaries and it can be no smaller than a district council electoral ward.)
The ward of Mablethorpe has been included because it is close to the boundary of the gas terminal site, and is a potential location for facilities.
However, the process of finding a site is likely to take many years, and other areas of England including west Cumbria are also being considered. A GDF will only be built in Lincolnshire if there is a willing community and a suitable site which can be shown to be safe. If the community doesn’t want it, it won’t be built, the Theddlethorpe GDF Working Group said.
The GDF has two parts – a surface facility of around 1 sq km where the waste would arrive, and deep below ground where the waste is disposed of. The area off the coast, deep beneath the seabed will be considered for the larger facility.
An illustrative example of what a GDF surface facility could look like. | Image: Supplied
Jon Collins, independent chairman of the Theddlethorpe GDF Working Group, said: “The Working Group looked at readily available information on things like local geology, environmental issues, transport, and safety. We also listened to the views expressed locally, including at the face-to-face events we ran last year.
“If we move to the next stage of the process, this information and the two wards we’ve identified give us a sensible starting point to begin the work of a Community Partnership, should one be formed.
“It’s important to stress that no decision has been made on whether a GDF will be built in this area, and this is only the beginning of a long conversation over many years about what’s right for the area”.
In the next couple of weeks local residents will receive a letter from the working group explaining how the search area was identified, as well as details of a programme of events set to begin on March 4.
Theddlethorpe resident Brian Swift contacted The Lincolnite to express his “discontent” ahead of the search area announcement, copying in his MP, RWM, and local councillors.
He said: “The small community of Theddlethorpe are overwhelmingly against the idea of hosting a GDF but after Tuesday’s announcement we find that our protestations will be more than cancelled out by yet another self serving council with an eye on the prize.
“We will watch carefully the way and by whom the money is bid for, be sure this is the only involvement Theddlethorpe will have in the bidding process. We are now even more intent on expressing our opposition to the GDF siting process and the total lack of concern for those most affected by the blight and uncertainty it has placed upon the residents.”
Protestors outside Lincolnshire County Council sang covers of popular songs changed to be thematic to their campaign at a recent executive meeting. | Photo: Daniel Jaines
Sara Bright is part of Guardians of the East Coast (GOTEC), a group set up to prevent the exploitation of the East Lincolnshire Coast by the nuclear industry. Ahead of the group’s meeting at Theddlethorpe village hall on Tuesday, the group said in a statement to The Lincolnite: “GOTEC were expecting this to happen but for more reasons than NWS (RWM) state. We see this as a bit of a stalking horse.”
The statement added that the group has “further concerns that when the vitrification process becomes economically unviable at Sellafield, it would make business sense to transfer that operation close to the GDF”.
The group said: “Our aim is to protect the beautiful east coast for residents, businesses and holidaymakers. There are far better projects that could be undertaken on the Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal Site.”
Kieran Somers, siting manager for the GDF developer, said a “future Community Partnership could change the search area as proposals develop in more detail, for example, if new infrastructure like roads or a rail link were needed”.
If a Community Partnership is formed there will be a process for identifying groups, organisations and individuals and will be reflective of the community. At that point, the search area will be eligible to benefit from £1 million per year in Community Investment Funding for projects, schemes and initiatives to improve the local area.
If investigations progress to the point at which boreholes are drilled, funding would increase to £2.5 million per year, to be spent on projects within the area.
For more information on RWM and the Working Group click here and for more from GOTEC click here.
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A family-run jewellers with more than 50 years’ experience is relocating from Newark to open in Lincoln’s Cornhill Quarter next week.
Smiths The Jewellers was based on Balderton Gate in Newark for 18 years, but it will now move into the unit previously occupied by Oxfam at 26-27 Sincil Street.
The new shop will open at 10am on Saturday, June 4 and the business has collaborated with Chambers Florists, also of the Cornhill Quarter, to do a jubilee themed window display.
Smiths The Jewellers is a traditional family-run business selling a wide range of jewellery, both new and pre-owned, as well as buying unwanted and broken jewellery. The shop will also offer services such as repairs, alterations and valuations.
The four employees will move over to the new shop and two new jobs have also been created.
Business owner Sonya Smith is the third generation of a family of jewellers and she told The Lincolnite: “We had some amazing customers in Newark, and also who travelled from Lincoln. We are excited to be opening in Lincoln.
“The Cornhill Quarter is vibrant and such a nice place to be and will allow us to expand. We are a great family business with a lot of loyal followers.”
The trial of a Skegness woman who denies causing the death of Nottingham Trent University student Hope Starsmore by dangerous driving has been put back until next year.
Rebecca Porter, 33, of Cottesmore Close, Skegness, was due to go on trial at Lincoln Crown Court on June 27. Her trial was expected to last four days.
However a pre-trial hearing at Lincoln Crown Court was today (Friday) told more time is needed to gather evidence from expert witnesses.
Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told Ms Porter her trial would now be listed at Lincoln Crown Court on April 17 next year.
Granting Ms Porter unconditional bail Judge Sjolin Knight explained to her: “Unfortunately there is very little realistic prospect of this trial being ready for June 27.
“I know that is difficult for you. I am sure it is also difficult for the family of the lady who was killed.”
At a previous hearing in October last year Porter pleaded not guilty to causing the death of Ms Starsmore on October 7, 2020 by dangerous driving on the A158 at Burgh le Marsh, near Skegness.
Ms Starsmore was rushed to hospital after a collision in Skegness Road, Burgh le Marsh, at around 8.15am on Wednesday, October 7.
Despite multiple operations, doctors were unable to save her and she died eight days after the crash.
Ms Starsmore had just started a course in medical science at Nottingham Trent University and wanted to become a paramedic.
Due to coronavirus, she had decided to live at home in Skegness and study. She also opted to commute to Nottingham once a week.
She was airlifted to Hull Royal Infirmary after the crash and placed in a medically-induced coma.
Her brother and her partner had been travelling with her on their way to Nottingham Trent University and received minor injuries.
Despite having moved to the Lincolnshire seaside, Hope had grown up in Corby, Northamptonshire.
Porter will next appear at Lincoln Crown Court on June 27 for a further pre-trial hearing.