UPDATE: Lincolnshire upper tiers take different stance over new site proposals for  nuclear waste dump in East Lindsey

As reported, a heated campaign was launched to stop a “monstrous carbuncle” of a nuclear waste dump being built on agricultural land near Louth. The 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 to potentially replace a former gas terminal site near the coast at Theddlethorpe.

Residents, local 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.

Initially, East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) along with Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) were members of the Community Partnership (CP) set up as liaison between the NWS and wider community.

LCC has confirmed the authority intends to stick with the Partnership to make sure communities remain well-informed about the proposals.

However, yesterday (Wednesday) ELDC leader Coun Craig Leyland questioned how the authority could “keep an open mind regarding the surface entry site for the GDF that will scar several kilometres of Lincolnshire farmland”.

Coun Leyland said: “In 2021, East Lindsey District Council was invited by Radio Active Waste Management ( now Nuclear Waste Services) to join a Working Group to explore whether the former Gas Terminal at Theddlethorpe would be a suitable location for a Ground Disposal Facility (GDF). Lincolnshire County Council had already accepted the same invitation.

“Constitutionally, this was a decision for the Executive to make. Recognising the potential and wide-ranging impact of such a proposal, the Overview Committee was asked to consider the invitation as part of a pre-decision scrutiny.

“The outcome of which was fed back to the Executive Board that being, we should engage in the process. That meeting took place on 19 October 2021.

“We entered the process in good faith believing it was better to be involved and influencing a potential major infrastructure development that could have far ranging impacts, both positive and negative, for our residents and communities.

“We have actively engaged in the process as a member of the Community Partnership (CP).

“We now know that NWS have had to review their potential use of the redundant Theddlethorpe gas terminal and late last year they instigated a search for a new Area of Focus for a site entrance for the offshore GDF.

“Their findings were made public on Wednesday 29 January 2025.

“The surface Area of Focus is described as land between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton. The potential site covers some 4 square kilometres.

“Clearly, this is land that has not had any previous industrial use and is prime agricultural land nestling close to the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“This is in stark contrast to the “brownfield” location at Theddlethorpe.

“The Executive of ELDC is now of the view that this change in location and Area of Focus severely tests the original rationale for our involvement in the GDF siting process.

“We also know of the understandable widespread concern for the proposed National Grid pylon consultation currently underway. ELDC shares the concern of many residents and communities regarding the industrialisation of the Lincolnshire countryside.

“This brings into question how can we support a campaign to object to the environmental harm of the pylons and yet keep an open mind regarding the surface entry site for the GDF that will scar several kilometres of Lincolnshire farmland on the margins of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

“The use of a brownfield site on the coast where a former facility had operated for over 40 years without local objection is completely different to a green field site in open countryside. The new site would also need attendant connecting infrastructure in the same sensitive countryside that the pylons would be scarring.

“We also need to consider the progress that the Community Partnership has made in being the liaison between NWS and wider community. As the Leader of ELDC I have had to acknowledge at full council, that the engagement process has been clumsy, interrupted and not generally seen as helpful.

“The four-year timescale to this point is disappointing and frustrating in equal measure. It is only in recent months that the flow of more relevant information has been appropriate but both NWS and the Community Partnership have had to recognise that the engagement and consultation process had not been effective or informative in the way we had anticipated or hoped for. It has only achieved one thing and that is to unnecessarily antagonise and distress our residents and communities.

“With this in mind and after listening to community voices and our own councillor voices at parish, district and county level, I will recommend, at the next appropriate ELDC Executive meeting that we unilaterally withdraw from the Community Partnership and exit the process to site a GDF in East Lindsey.”

In response. Miss Atlkins has also issued a statement: ““From the very start four years ago when plans were revealed for a nuclear

waste dump on our coastline, I have campaigned against it.

"Last week, I joined local residents in Gayton le Marsh, Great Carlton and the surrounding area to show our opposition to the latest plans to move the dump further inland.

"We are all horrified by the prospect of such a monstrous carbuncle and the industrial wastelands that will be built around it being imposed on our corner of England.

“I welcome, therefore, the announcement this morning by the Leader of East Lindsey District Council, Cllr Leyland, that he will withdraw ELDC from from the Nuclear Waste Services’ Community Partnership.

“When the latest proposals were revealed by NWS, I immediately called a meeting with Cllr Leyland and Cllr Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, to reiterate local residents’ opposition to a dump.

"Local residents must be listened to and I will continue to fight for them and our area.”

Simon Hughes, NWS Siting and Communities Director, said the company was grateful to East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) and Coun Craig Leyland, Leader of the Council, for their engagement and commitment throughout the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) siting process.

However, Mr Hughes told Lincolnshre World the withdrawal of ELDC as a member of the Partnership would not be enough to stop the search for a suitable site for a GDF.

He said: “Their (ELDC) willingness to explore the potential for a GDF in the search area, alongside other members of the Community Partnership, has been invaluable in ensuring an open and informed discussion about the future for long term disposal of radioactive waste. Their participation has played a key role in facilitating public dialogue and providing people in the search area with opportunities to learn more about the process, its implications, and potential benefits.

“NWS appreciates the time, effort, and dedication that ELDC has contributed to this nationally important infrastructure project. We recognise the ELDC’s commitment to representing all their communities’ voices and engaging in constructive conversations about the GDF siting process. And we understand their decision to withdraw from the process.

“For a Community Partnership to meet the UK Government’s policy, at least one relevant Principal Local Authority must be a member. We remain fully committed to working with Lincolnshire County Council as the remaining relevant principal local authority in the Community Partnership as we continue the search for a suitable site for a GDF.”

Coun Martin Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, explained to Lincolnshire World why the authority would we sticking with the Partnership – for the time being at least.

He said: “The change of area of focus from the former gas terminal in Theddlethorpe to a rural area between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton represents a significant shift in the nature of these GDF proposals, and we share some of East Lindsey District Council's concerns about this new location.

“Unlike other Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects – like pylons and large-scale solar farms – residents will choose whether this GDF goes ahead through a test of public support. We’re clear that residents should be given that opportunity as soon as possible. To make an informed choice, people need access to all the relevant information about the proposals, and through the community partnership we need to make sure all the information about this new location is forthcoming.

“I await to hear feedback from NWS’ latest round of community consultation, and then the council will consider its options.”