Supplementary
memorandum submitted by E.ON UK (NPS 30A)
Planning Arrangements for a Geological
Disposal Facility
The
Government's White Paper 'Managing Radioactive Waste Safely: A Framework for
Implementing Geological Disposal' published in June 2008 considered the
appropriate planning arrangements for a geological disposal facility in paragraphs 5.23 - 5.37.
This
states at paragraph 5.24 that under current arrangements, applications would be
determined by the relevant local planning authority, or by Ministers under
powers to call in some planning applications. This would be under the Town and
Country Planning Act 1990.
In
paragraphs 5.30 and 5.31 the document states that:
' 5.30 Whilst not having yet taken a final
decision, Government is currently inclined to look towards applying the new
planning system. Government considers that a geological disposal facility is
likely to be regarded as a nationally significant infrastructure project and
believes that the new arrangements could assist the delivery of agreements with
local communities.
5.31 If it is decided in future that
radioactive waste should be dealt with by the IPC, the Government will bring
forward a statutory instrument to have it included. That would be subject to
the affirmative resolution procedure, thus ensuring parliamentary debate and a
decision from both Houses.'
January 2010
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