Shepway Lib Dems Slam Romney Marsh Nuclear Storage Consultation
The announcement by Shepway District Council that they are consulting on a long term high level nuclear waste storage facility on Romney Marsh has been slammed by local Liberal Democrats.
The Liberal Democrats condemnation is shared by local MP Damian Collins and Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter. In an article in Kent Online, Paul Carter describes the idea as 'irresponsible, outrageous and madness'.
The Shepway Council consultation website is at http://www.romneymarshnrdf.org.uk
A storage facility would hold the highest levels of nuclear waste, which could take millions of years to become completely safe. The surface of the storage site would cover 250 acres, more than 22 times the size of Wembley Stadium. Rubble and debris dug out would be equivalent to the amount brought out during the building of the Channel Tunnel.
Local Lib Dem campaigner Darren Briddock poured derision on the idea. He said:
"is there nothing Shepway Council will not do to destroy our area? First they proposed a parking strategy that would have ruined businesses across the District. Now, they consult on storing the very highest levels of Nuclear Waste in vast underground bunkers in Shepway for time immemorial.
"The idea would be laughable if it wasn't so stupid. Even the suggestion will really hurt the area and its residents: who would buy a house or move to an area considering hosting long-term, high-level lethal nuclear waste?
"Are Shepway Council trying to close down Shepway completely? The Conservative Council show contempt to its residents, the area and our neighbours."
Lib Dem County Councillor for Folkestone West, Tim Prater, said:
"This proposal is just insane. Why on earth should we even consider becoming the nuclear dustbin for the entire country? We deserve better than that, and Kent deserves better than that. The environmental impact would be monumental, the impact on confidence in the local area devastating and the impact on tourism incalculable.
"We've obviously had our differences, but I entirely agree with both local MP Damian Collins and Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter on this: the suggestion is irresponsible, outrageous and madness."
"Kent County Council is totally opposed to initiating any process that even entertains the possibility of building a nuclear waste disposal site anywhere near or around Kent. We must boot this outrageous proposal into touch."
He described it as "utter madness" to build the facility in a relatively densely populated area, close to London and the Home Counties, that would involve the movement of highly hazardous waste though London and the South East.
He added: "It is irresponsible to consider constructing such a gigantic facility in an area which is both an earthquake zone and one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world."
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