Cumbria County Council has agreed to make an ‘expression of interest’ as the location for the country’s first-ever high-level nuclear waste repository, in return for millions of pounds of funding for roads and other public services.
The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting this week, allows the county council to discuss the best solution with the Government for disposing of higher-level radio-active waste, but does not involve any commitment that Cumbria will eventually host an underground repository.
The move follows a government White Paper, which invited local authorities to volunteer to host the burial of nuclear waste, in return for funding for public services. A spokesperson for Cumbria said: ‘The community will expect something back, but this is still just an expression of interest.
‘Negotiations will need to be carried out to reach an agreement of what the benefits could be.’ Major projects which have been put on hold due to financial restraints may get the go ahead, such as a bridge over Morecambe Bay, which would provide a much-needed link to the M6.
The spokesperson said: ‘The money could be used to create proper roads in West Cumbria, which at present, is very isolated. ‘If new homes are built with funding awarded, these will need to be properly linked in with transport networks.’
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