By Alan Irving

Last updated at 12:23, Thursday, 28 June 2012

ENVIRONMENT campaigners have claimed that some of the most beautiful valleys in the Western Lakes could be a potential final resting place for highly active radioactive waste.

They point to Wasdale, Eskdale, Ennerdale & Kinniside, and Muncaster as possible locations for a nuclear waste repository up to four times the size of Sellafield and as big as the Channel Tunnel.

But yesterday Coun Tim Knowles, who heads up West Cumbria’s Managing Radioactive Waste Safety Partnership, strongly rebutted any suggestion that specific sites had been identified, and he rejected suggestions by Save Our Lake District – Don’t Dump Cumbria that Longlands Farm at Gosforth has already been ruled out.

The group claimed: “We have learned that the MRWS Partnership is no longer considering Longlands Farm for a nuclear dump. This was the site favoured by Nirex in its failed attempt in the mid 90s. It would appear that the Partnership is now looking elsewhere in Cumbria for the dump despite the former Nirex inspector Chris McDonald and his technical assessor (Colin Knipe) having told them that ‘the probability of finding a site in West Cumbria is low’.”

The Save Our Lake District group’s claims are based on its view that a review on geology does not include the Borrowdale volcanic group – the type of rock under Longlands. Because of this the pressure group, says that other potential Cumbrian sites were either of the Mercia Mudstone Group (MMG) or Eskdale and Ennerdale granites.

MMG, it states, would include Silloth, Bowness-on-Solway, Allonby and other neighbouring parishes, with the Eskdale and Ennerdale granites taking in Wasdale, Eskdale, Muncaster, Ennerdale, Kinniside along with nearby parishes and also small parts of Loweswater and Buttermere.

Dr Ruth Balogh said on behalf of the Lake District environmental group: “We would like to have this confirmed by MRWS. If it’s true then we are seeing some of the loveliest parts of our county under threat – and the Lake District National Park Authority and Cumbria Tourist Board need to take a far more robust approach.”

Refuting the suggestions, Tim Knowles accused the group of being mischievous.

He told The Whitehaven News: “I don’t think anyone involved is aware of any such considerations because no sites are being investigated at this stage.

“The only review carried out has been by the British Geological Survey looking for mineral deposits and water which might be used by future generations which primarily ruled out the coastal strip along the length of West Cumbria. No other analysis has been done. If you take away the area ruled out it still leaves 700 square miles of West Cumbria from Silloth to Millom if a decision to look at potential sites is eventually taken.”

The Partnership’s chairman stressed: “Nothing has been ruled out, nothing ruled in.”

Asked whether valleys such as Eskdale, Ennerdale and Wasdale might be looked at, Coun Knowles added: “Nobody knows.”

The Save Our Lake District claims followed the latest MRWS meeting in Keswick on Monday. At the meeting Coun Knowles said that any Cumbrian repository must not damage the county’s reputation as one of England’s most beautiful places.

“Whatever is done would have to be safe and we’d have to consider the impact on our community and environment. It’s very important it doesn’t change the way people perceive Cumbria,” he said. “It’s the most beautiful county in England and we don’t want it to be seen in any different light. If that were the case it would have to be counteracted – a difficult isssue we’d have to look at.”

The decision on whether to search West Cumbria for somewhere suitable to dispose of nuclear waste will be made in the autumn by three local authorities: Copeland, Allerdale and Cumbria county council.

The Partnership has drawn up a first draft of a report which will help the councils decide but Coun Knowles said: “The report will advise on the issues and the consultations but won’t make a recommendation on the course of action.”

First published at 11:09, Thursday, 28 June 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk