News : Residents, businesses and tourists to be surveyed on impact of a possible underground nuclear disposal facility in West Cumbria
Researchers are going to hit the streets of
Tourists visiting the county will also be asked their views.
The West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS) Partnership has commissioned GVA Ltd to conduct research to find out what people believe the impacts of having a potential geological disposal facility located in
Elaine Woodburn, the Chair of the Partnership and the leader of Copeland Borough Council, says: “The study will provide an initial snapshot of people’s perceptions about the possible impacts of a repository on the area. It will also be important in helping Partnership members understand what type and size of community benefits could be needed to compensate for these impacts if a repository was given the go ahead.
The primary focus of GVA’s research will be on residents and businesses located within Copeland and Allerdale as the councils from these boroughs have expressed an interest in participating in the process to help the Government find a suitable site for a repository, without making any commitment to having it in the area.
Locations outside these boroughs will also be assessed, because of potential impacts on things like tourism and inward investment.
Jon Jones, principle consultant at GVA, said: “The general aim of this research is to look at the perception towards the geological disposal facility proposals of a number of key target groups – such as residents, future residents, existing businesses and potential businesses, as well as tourists.
“We will be using a number of methods including street interviews in locations throughout Allerdale and Copeland. We will also interview key partners and representatives of the tourism sector and business. We will also hold resident focus groups.”
The field work will mostly take place in February and March with the results being published in mid April.
The West Cumbria MRWS Partnership is made up of all the local authorities in
The Partnership is currently asking local people for their views on some of the issues involved. In the summer the Partnership will produce a report with its initial advice on whether or not
For more information on the West Cumbria MRWS Partnership and how you can get involved in the discussions visit www.westcumbriamrws.org.uk.
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For media enquiries please contact the Partnership’s communications advisor Paul Gardner at Osprey Communications on 01524-782086 or 077667906561
- In addition to Allerdale Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council and Cumbria County Council there are a range of other organisations making up the partnership, including Barrow Borough Council, the Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum), local trade unions, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Churches Together Council, Eden District Council, South Lakeland District Council, Carlisle City Council, the Lake District National Park Authority, the Cumbria Association of Local Councils, NuLeAF (the Nuclear Legacy in Cumbria, the Chamber of Commerce, Cumbria Tourism and the West Cumbria Sites Stakeholder Group.
- A number of other organisations attend as ‘observing members’ including Government departments, the Isle of Man Government, CoRWM (Committee on Radioactive Waste Management), the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the safety and environment regulators.
- The Government is looking for a community in the
- Taking part in discussions with the Government does not commit the Cumbrian authorities to hosting a deep geological repository and they can withdraw from the process at any point up until a time when construction would begin – estimated to be more than 10 years from now.