Last updated 19:45, Thursday, 19 June 2008

PLANS to dispose of radioactive waste underground have been welcomed by Allerdale council.

Leader Joe Milburn said the council would “express an interest” in hosting an underground repository to store radioactive material if the local community agreed to it in a consultation exercise.

The announcement comes after the Government revealedthat it would ask councils to volunteer to host a nuclear dump, in return for cash for community projects.

The proposals are set out in its White Paper, Managing Radioactive Waste Safely.

Mr Milburn said: “Allerdale wishes to retain a position from which we can make an expression of interest if that is the direction in which we want to go following our consultation with our communities.

“We will continue working to identify a partnership approach with Copeland council and Cumbria County Council and will endeavour to initiate the widest possible consultation on the issue.”

Allerdale, with the county council and Copeland council , has agreed to the Government’s Energy Cost masterplan and will help in the development of a national framework for the siting process for an underground disposal facility for radioactive waste.

Workington MP Tony Cunningham said: “This is a hugely important issue for the people of West Cumbria and I fully support the council's view.

“The public need to be consulted and I will make sure that everyone in West Cumbria has a say.

“It is important that we look at the options and make sure that we come to the right conclusion.”

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, which manages the winding down of Britain’s nuclear plants, has also backed the plans.

It said that it would act on behalf of the Government, listening to communities who would be interested in taking part in the proposal.

A spokesman added: “We welcome the publication of the White Paper brought out by the Government. We will provide clear information throughout the important process. We are committed to listening to and talking with communities.”

Environmental group Friends of the Earth is opposed to West Cumbria becoming a burial site for nuclear waste.

Spokeswoman Ruth Balogh said: “A programme of deep burial of radioactive wastes would only amount to burying our head in the sand. There is no safe solution to radioactive waste, what we must do is not produce anymore and certainly not build any more nuclear power stations.”