Potential change of name for nuclear waste site partnership to be discussed
A request for a name change to a community partnership to embrace any possible impact to Mablethorpe of a proposed nuclear waste disposal site in the area has received a positive response.
A former gas terminal in Theddlethorpe was identified as one of three possible sites in England for the site, known as a GDF (geological disposal facility), by the government agency, Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).
The Theddlethorpe GDF Community Partnership was created to work with NWS and help locals understand the proposal. The search for a suitable location for the site in the area has now been widened by NWS to cover Mablethorpe citing “competing interests” for the gas terminal site.
Lawrence O’Neill, chairman of Nuclear Free Local Authorities, a group supporting a campaign against the plan, wrote to NWS to ask that the community partnership’s name is changed to incorporate Mablethorpe.
Now NWS has replied, agreeing that the move away from an exclusive focus on the gas terminal site “does indeed suggest that Theddlethorpe is not the most appropriate name for the community partnership”.
A spokesperson wrote: “This is something that the community partnership touched on at its last meeting in December. We are mindful that the name is important to people who are most directly affected. The partnership will discuss a potential name change and the timing of this following the anticipated formal announcement on the search areas of focus for the siting of the GDF.”
Richard Outram, secretary of the NFLA, said: “We look forward to hearing the results of the discussion. We hope this will lead to a much overdue and clearly needed name change to reflect the fact that Mablethorpe is also now under consideration as a potential location.”
The partnership largely comprises councillors and NWS representatives. It is not to be confused with the group, Guardians Of The East Coast, made up of residents firmly opposed to the site. The other two England sites under consideration by NWS are both in Cumbria, which has a long-standing connection to the nuclear industry.