Theddlethorpe nuclear site: Public to vote by 2027

A public vote on plans to build a nuclear waste disposal site in Lincolnshire should be held by 2027, council leaders have said.

The former Theddlethorpe gas terminal has been identified as one of a number of potential locations in England for an underground facility.

Martin Hill and Craig Leyland said they wanted a vote within the next four years to end uncertainty for residents.

Mr Hill has previously said the referendum result would be "binding".

Mr Leyland, leader of East Lindsey District Council said: "Indecision and uncertainty about the future use of the site that goes on for too long will not benefit residents and they deserve to know when they will get to make a final decision."

Meanwhile, Mr Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council said the plans, which were first revealed in 2021, had been under discussion for "a number of years already" and that a vote by 2027 would "give ample time for people to have formed an opinion".

The site at Theddlethorpe is being considered by government agency Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) - formerly known as Radioactive Waste Management - for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). Other possible sites have been mooted in Hartlepool and Cumbria.

The GDF would see waste being stored underneath up to 1,000m of solid rock until its radioactivity had naturally decayed.

The gas terminal would provide access to a shaft down to a tunnel stretching up to 13miles (22.2km) out under the North Sea.

According to the Theddlethorpe GDF Community Partnership a facility will only be built in an area where the community "demonstrates if it is willing to host one" following a "test of public support" such as a referendum or consultation.

A spokesperson said: "We're really keen to understand what is important to the area, and whether or not a GDF would help achieve that local vision.

"Our locally-based team will continue to answer questions, explain what a GDF is and how it would operate safely and securely, so that the community can make an informed decision when it comes to the test of public support."

A series of consultation events have been held this month with a further session to take place on 11 August at St Mary's Church Hall, Mablethorpe, from 17:00 to 20:00.

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