Theddlethorpe locals WILL be part of talks on Lincolnshire nuclear waste site
There are fears the controversial plans for Theddlethorpe will impact on tourism and the local environment
It's been confirmed that local parish councillors in Theddlethorpe will be invited to be part of a working group, which will look at controversial plans for a nuclear waste site on the Lincolnshire coast.
The news comes as Lincolnshire County Council has officially agreed to join the talks, along with officials with East Lindsey District Council.
A government company is considering turning a former gas terminal near the village into a 'Geological Disposal Facility' , which would store radioactive waste underground.
The proposals from Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) have prompted a big backlash from Theddlethorpe locals who fear the impact it could have on the environment and the local economy, which is heavily reliant on coastal tourism.
Last month demonstrators picketed a council meeting in Lincoln, calling for the plans to be scrapped.
After Lincolnshire County Council officially agreed to join the working group, leader Cllr Martin Hill, said:
"The working group is an information gathering exercise. Participating in the group does not mean the council wants the GDF at the Theddlethorpe site – in fact we currently have not taken a view on this.
"Our decision to get involved recognises that ultimately it will be a community decision as to whether a GDF should be built.
"The council's involvement is therefore to make sure that residents and businesses have access to information they need, and to help reflect their views.
"We also agreed with our scrutiny committee that the local parish council should be invited to the working group to really reflect grass-roots views from across the community."
RWM claims the project would create jobs in the region, but has conceded it needs to convince local people before pressing ahead with construction.
No final decision has yet been made and talks are in the very early stages.
Steve Reece, from the company, said:
“We welcome today’s decision by Lincolnshire County Council to accept the invitation to join a Working Group."
"We will now focus on the work required to enable the Working Group to be formed as soon as possible, so it can begin engagement with people living around Theddlethorpe and surrounding areas.
"Establishing the Working Group is just the starting point for engaging with the local community in a process that will take several years.
"It’s about starting a conversation with local people and enabling them to find out more about a Geological Disposal Facility, explore the issues, and have their questions answered.
“Following Lincolnshire County Council’s decision today, we will be inviting Theddlethorpe Parish Council to become a member of the group. East Lindsey District Council has already been invited.
“We are aiming to have the Working Group up and running during October, at which point a programme of local engagement will be announced”.