People are invited to find out what an underground radioactive store would mean practically at a series of events in Copeland.
A search is underway to find a suitable site to host the Geological Disposal Facility, known as a GDF – and it could take up to 15 years to find the best location.
A GDF is an underground facility designed to safely and securely dispose of higher activity radioactive waste.
Deep geology beyond the coast is being considered for siting the underground elements of a GDF. This means a surface facility on, or near, the coast would provide access to a disposal area deep in rock beyond the coast.
Mid Copeland Geological Disposal Facility Community Partnership is holding a series of interactive events for people to find out more about what a GDF could mean in the area.
Feedback highlighted that people wanted to know more about the safety, transport and technical aspects of a GDF.
The events will include experts to explain how waste is currently being packaged to be passively safe; what GDF transport could entail and how a GDF would be safely constructed, operated and closed.
On display will be an example model of what a GDF could look like above ground, plus an interactive display board showing what it could look like underground.
Events will be held:
- Friday, March 10: Thornhill Social Club, noon to 7pm;
- Saturday, March 11: Gosforth Public Hall, 10am to 3pm;
- Friday, March 17: Windscale Club, Seascale, 12.30pm to 7pm;
- Saturday, March 18: Drigg and Carleton Village Hall, 10am to 3pm.
Andy Pratt, chair of Mid Copeland GDF Community Partnership, said: “Please come along to the events and have a conversation, let us know what you think and ask your questions – we want to hear from you.
“We always take on board community feedback and use it to try and shape our future events by providing information people require. So, this time we are concentrating on safety, transport and technical aspects.
“We’re still in the early stages of the GDF programme. If a suitable site is found in Copeland – a process which could take 10-15 years – a decision to develop a GDF here in Mid Copeland could not be taken until the community in the electoral wards directly affected has had a say and taken a positive Test of Public Support.”
Community partnerships are long-term groups made up of local people, the GDF developer and local authorities to consider the possibilities of hosting a GDF within an identified Search Area.
The Mid Copeland Search Area currently includes the electoral wards of Gosforth & Seascale and Beckermet.
After April 1, the Search Area for Mid Copeland will change due to local government reorganisation when the current electoral ward boundaries of Copeland Borough Council cease to exist.
The new wards will follow the same boundaries as the current county council divisions. This means the Mid Copeland Search Area will cover the electoral division of Gosforth which includes Seascale, Gosforth, Beckermet, Calderbridge, Haile, Thornhill, Nethertown and Braystones.
The parishes of Drigg and Carleton and Irton with Santon will sit outside the Mid Copeland Search Area in the Millom Without ward and will instead be in the South Copeland Search Area. The full parish of Lowerside Quarter will be included in the Mid Copeland Search Area.
The GDF programme requires both a suitable site and a willing community.
The Mid Copeland area has access to its second £1million of Community Investment Funding (CIF) per year from the GDF programme. The partnership awarded £1million in CIF to local projects during its first year.
