Lift-off for campaign to fight 'monstrous' nuclear waste dump near Louth
The campaign to block the “monstrous carbuncle” of a nuclear waste dump being built on agricultural land near Louth has been given a fiery lift-off.
A greenfield site north of the A157 road, between the villages of Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton, south-west of Gayton Wind Farm, has been identified as a new possible location for the dump, potentially replacing a former gas terminal site near the coast at Theddlethorpe.
But residents, councillors and Louth and Horncastle’s MP, Victoria Atkins, were all united in their opposition when the first of several public consultation events were held in the villages.
Ms Atkins roared: “The message is clear from Theddlethorpe to Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton – no nuclear waste dump in Lincolnshire!
"Our Lincolnshire coastline and countryside must not be scarred with this monstrous carbuncle.
"I visited the new, proposed site to see the impact this would have before I joined constituents at a consultation event in Great Carlton where the local opposition was made clear.
"The anguish, shock and worry among these residents was palpable. They had no idea this site was even being considered.
"The financial and emotional impact on them are immediate. I was told that a house sale in the area had already fallen through as a direct result of the announcement. Others spoke of their fears that they will not be able to sell their homes in the future .
"I also spoke to a farmer who farms the land which is earmarked for the proposals. It was clear from our conversation that this land is productive and plays a vital role in producing the food we eat.
"The damage to productive agricultural land in this area, and the construction of rail and road links, would be enormous. Yet there is no sign that this has been understood.
"Enough is enough! The local people whose lives are being blighted by these proposals need to be given their say.”
The dump, known as a GDF (geological disposal site), has been earmarked by the government agency, Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), which has identified three possible locations – one in East Lincolnshire and two in Cumbria.
NWS has switched its focus from Theddlethorpe, where the site is believed to be too small, to Gayton and Great Carlton.
A network of underground vaults and tunnels would transfer shipments of nuclear waste from the facility to a sealed storage area under the seabed, which would extend 22 kilometres from the coast.
NWS hopes to persuade residents that the GDF would be safe and secure – and has assured them it will not be built unless it has the backing of the local community.
It has set up a community partnership to explain all the proposals, and further consultation events are planned for Withern village hall this Friday (February 14, 3 pm to 7 pm), Theddlethorpe village hall on Saturday (12 midday to 3.30 pm), Legbourne village hall on Sunday (12 midday to 3.30 pm), Grimoldby and Manby village hall on Thursday, February 20 (3 pm to 7 pm), and Louth Town Football Club on Friday, February 21 (3 pm to 7 pm).
Ms Atkins was joined at the Great Carlton event last week by fellow Conservatives, Coun Dan McNally, of Lincolnshire County Council, and Rob Waltham, a candidate for Lincolnshire Mayor, who are also against the dump.
She has promised residents to take up their concerns with NWS and added: “There are many questions remaining.
"These include why can this waste not be kept in Sellafield in Cumbria, where the majority of it is produced, rather than transporting it across the country.
"Also, why has NWS moved the proposed Lincolnshire site further inland? And how and when will the test of public support be held?”
NWS insists that a GDF is the best solution for the disposal of the UK’s radioactive waste.
It says this search for a new dump is one of the largest environmental protection programmes the country has ever seen and will ensure the cost and burden of keeping the waste safe is removed from future generations.