Lake District under threat as Allerdale Working Group goes back on its word!

Since the beginning of this new search process for a site to bury the nation’s vast stockpile of nuclear waste, Allerdale Working Group has been clear about one thing – The Lake District is not part of the search area.  They have stated this in meetings with Cumbria Trust.  They have taken the same position when talking to the Lake District National Park Authority.  They have even produced a leaflet for distribution to every household in Allerdale which states “The Working Group has already agreed that a GDF will not be built in or under the Lake District National Park”.  

In blocks too!

Now it transpires that this is not true.  At a recent meeting with Allerdale Working Group, the individual who volunteered Allerdale for a GDF was challenged about the failure to exclude the Solway Coast AONB as well as the Lake District.  He told the meeting that the Lake District may be re-included at the Community Partnership stage, which is likely to happen later this year.  The official minutes of the meeting, produced by Radioactive Waste Management, state:  

“Why was LDNP excluded and AONB was not? – LDNP was not included initially by the interested party, however the CP[Community Partnership], once set-up, could decide to re-include it going forward if they wish”  

It is becoming clear that we have all been seriously misled by Allerdale Working Group.  Their word seems to be worth nothing.  They cannot be trusted.  We have contacted the Lake District National Park Authority about this.  

The Lake District National Park and Solway Coast AONB are both designated areas and have the highest level of protection.  It is simply not possible for a major development on this scale to happen in a national park or AONB unless there are no alternative sites in the entire country, irrespective of whether they have volunteered.  In other words, should a designated site be chosen, planning law dictates that you would have to survey and rule out the suitability rest of the country! This highlights the absurdity of allowing a designated area to be volunteered – it is quite simply incompatible with voluntarism and it is incredible that Radioactive Waste Management have still failed to grasp this.