Protesters step up pressure over nuclear talks

Protesters outside the meeting of East Lindsey District Council

Lincolnshire County Council is being urged to withdraw from talks to bury nuclear waste in the countryside.

Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), a government body, has earmarked an area near Louth, in East Lindsey, as a possible site for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).

Ahead of a meeting of East Lindsey District Council on Wednesday, opponents gathered to support a motion urging the county council to withdraw from the consultation process.

NWS said a GDF would only be built where there was a "suitable site with a willing community".

In 2021, the district council joined a community partnership group with NWS to examine a previous proposal to bury waste at a former gas terminal in Theddlethorpe, near Mablethorpe.

However, in January this year, NWS announced it had moved the proposed location of the facility to land between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton. Last month, the leader of the district council indicated that it would withdraw from the talks.

Councillor Travis Hesketh claims people are unable to sell their houses

Councillor Travis Hesketh (Independent), who brought the motion, told the meeting: "I represent the area where the nuclear dump was originally going to be placed, but now it's moved.

"We're here today because East Lindsey has said they are going to pull out, which is a terrific thing, but they need to go further.

"They need to say we oppose this and we want Lincolnshire County Council to do the same."

He said the proposals had "ruined two communities" and claimed house values had been "decimated".

"No one can sell their house in the Carlton or Gayton area, they're stuck. It's time to make a decision," he added.

The motion was passed with 43 votes in favour, four abstentions, and no votes against, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

'Different scenario'

District council leader Craig Leyland told campaigners that the decision by NWS to relocate the search area from the gas terminal to open countryside "was a very different matter".

The council was due to meet on 23 April to discuss a proposal to officially withdraw from the process, he said.

One campaigner who attended the protest, 64-year-old Nigel, from Theddlethorpe, said he had been fighting the plans since "day one".

"Now the area of focus has shifted, I feel I need to support the people affected in that area as well. We're just trying to force the council's hand now," he said.

Martin Hill, the leader of the county council, told LDRS that although there was potential for big economic growth and investment, he understood that "we are now talking about a different scenario", with the obvious impact on property values and local people.

"I think, along with East Lindsey, we should resolve this as soon as possible. The only issue to me is whether that is done by the public directly, or whether the councils make the decision on their behalf," he added.

Simon Hughes, siting and communities director at NWS, said: "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.

"A GDF will only be built where there is a suitable site with a willing community, and we are looking forward to building on our engagement to ensure people have the information they need to make an informed decision."

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