Shepway District Council is proposing the construction of a nuclear waste disposal bunker in Romney Marsh. The proposed site would be a square kilometre at ground level, with the underground dump potentially as close as 200 metres from the surface. The proposal, if implemented, would render the area of amazing natural beauty a dumping ground for nuclear waste from throughout the country. This would represent a scar on the Romney Marsh landscape as well as creating a nuclear hazard for centuries to come.
The scheme has already been met with a great deal of political and local opposition. The argument put forward by the council is that the new construction would offset the loss of jobs when the Dungeness nuclear power stations are decommissioned. As a Labour member, more often than not I warmly welcome job creation initiatives, but not at a dangerously large environmental cost.
The Secretrary for the Folkestone and Hythe Labour Party, Peter Wallace, succinctly argues that the plan "shows the lack of ambition Shepway Council has for our area". We live in a wonderful eclectic region, with stunning landscapes, plenty of transport hubs and a lengthy coastline. There is scope for so much more creativity for the region.
Work on the dump would not be scheduled to begin until 2025 and the site would not be ready until 2040, so the dump would not address current problems. What could possibly be the incentive for such a scheme? This is not an easy question to answer without a healthy dose of cynicism. We should all see that it is highly selfish to believe the solution to today's economic and employment woes is to leave a gift for our children and grandchildren that they will not thank us for. According to the project's website, the land could be farmed after it has completed its working life, but it is hard to imagine anyone wanting to do so.
We have an assurance from Alistair Stewart, chief executive of Shepway District Council, that if the public reject the proposal then that will be the end of the proposal. There will be a consultation with local residents - thousands of newsletters have already been sent. It is difficult to expect people to respond to the question of "would you like a nuclear dump in your vicinity?" with anything other than the negative. In event of public rejection, do the proposals go into the dump instead of the hazardous nuclear waste, or do the councillors set to work on Plan B, making a further attempt to win support?
This proposal demonstrates the problem with a distinct lack of political plurality in the district. 44 of the 46 councillors in Shepway District Council are Conservatives. It is this dominance of the party in charge that allows them to propose the sort of developments that many other councils would not dare mention. The council's official claim to have 'no formal view' about the proposal is a cop-out. To have taken the trouble to launch a website, set up presentations and spent money on newsletters, all combine to imply a support for the scheme.
They are clearly willing to take a flutter on a positive outcome of their consultation. When this is considered in the context of their recent attempt to flood Shepway with parking meters, it is not surprising that at times it seems that every square metre of Shepway has its price. In future elections, the voters of Romney Marsh should not allow them to forget any of this.
Slightly more reassuring is that the idea has been criticised by the leader of Kent County Council, Paul Carter, as well as by local MP, Damian Collins. They can see the potential for lost votes throughout the county, as well as the prospect of towns and villages in Kent becoming transport gateways for nuclear waste. Furthermore, this is south-east England - not the middle of nowhere. Transporting highly radioactive waste through largely populated areas lacks the most basic of common sense.
Nuclear waste is not the answer to Shepway's employment woes. The best thing Shepway's councillors can do is to retreat from this proposal and return with an inspirational idea for regenerating the district.
Links:
Folkestone and Hythe Labour Party: http://www.shepwaylabour.org.uk
Proposal website: http://www.romneymarshnrdf.org.uk/
