Reports

Gillian Johnston ‘’Mid Copeland GDF Community Partnership’’ 14th June 23

THE MID COPELAND GEOLOGICAL DISPOSAL FACILITY
Sue Shepherd & Rob Ward
The GDF Nuclear Partnership is a government initiative to identify possible locations which would provide storage for the UK’s most hazardous nuclear waste: both of the local district councils which comprise Cumberland Council expressed an interest in hosting the waste, 80% of which is already stored at Sellafield.
There is an extensive consultation process taking place, with ‘meet and greet’ sessions and several stages of formal consultation, which will last over two years. The process of identifying and building the storage itself is scheduled to take 130 years, meaning that although local people are being consulted and (through their Councillors) will have a right of veto, we will not be around to witness either the construction or the use of the facility.
There was quite a lively discussion of the proposals and although no outright opposition to the concept was voiced, many members raised concerns, including the apparent exclusion of wards north of Thornhill from the proposed Community Investment Fund.