A NEW siren is set to be installed at Sellafield site if the council grants planning approval.

Copeland Borough Council has received an application for planning permission from Sellafield Limited, revealing plans for a new siren at the site.

Site sirens perform a vital safety function at the Sellafield decommissioning site, providing a warning to workers in the event of a nuclear incident.

In their planning statement, Sellafield Limited said: "This will replace an existing site siren which is no longer fit-for-purpose in its current location due to its positioning relative to new construction activities."

The new 16 metre high siren will be installed on industrial laydown ground in the south eastern part of the site.

A sound mapping exercise has been carried out on site to inform the position of the new siren. The investigation took account of a new development, determining that a new siren would need to be installed to provide adequate coverage to personnel working in the south-eastern part of the site where new construction activities are shortly planned to begin.

The planning application takes into account the impact on residents.

The applicant said: "The sound produced by the siren will be the same type of sound that the current siren uses and the number of times that the siren is used should be approximately equivalent to its current usage.

"Therefore, the impact upon any residents living close to the site should not noticeably change. For the siren to perform its function of providing an alarm, in the unlikely event of an incident occurring, it needs to be audible across a wide area of the site.

"The siren has been designed to emit at a sound level of approximately 85 decibels (dB) within the site perimeter fence.

"The noise impact will reduce as the distance from the site increases. Therefore, the nearest off-site receptors should not experience an unacceptable level of noise."

It is estimated that installation will take about 8 weeks of work and construction workers will travel to the site in accordance with Sellafield Limited's Travel Plan. Five members of staff will work on the project so the applicant does not expect the installation to have an impact on the local road network.

The public can view and comment on all planning applications submitted to Copeland Borough Council for approval.

To have your say, visit the planning portal at: www.copeland.gov.uk/planning/application-search

Comments of support or objection will be taken into account when the planning panel decides on the application.