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