East Lindsey District Council is preparing to withdraw from discussions on a potential nuclear waste storage site in Lincolnshire, signaling a shift in its stance on the controversial project.
The council initially joined a Working Group in 2021 to explore the feasibility of using the former gas terminal in Theddlethorpe as a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). However, Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), the government agency overseeing the project, has since identified a different location—four square kilometers of agricultural land between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton—as a preferred site.
Council leaders now argue that the new location, which has no history of industrial use and sits in a rural area near the Lincolnshire Wolds, is unsuitable for such a facility. The council has also raised concerns about additional infrastructure, including the potential construction of pylons in the area as part of the National Grid’s Grimsby to Walpole project.
As a result, East Lindsey District Council plans to withdraw from the process. However, Lincolnshire County Council remains involved, and a formal public support test is still planned for 2027. If the county council also withdraws, the siting process in Lincolnshire would likely end.
Nuclear Waste Services has acknowledged East Lindsey’s concerns and thanked the council for participating in the discussions. The agency is also considering two other potential sites in Cumbria.
