Following a story in the Visitor Green group leader Councillor Chris Coates has written to the paper to point out the problems posed by a new power station at Heysham.

Dear Editor

The announcement on your front page that Heysham is a step nearer to becoming the site for one of the new generation of nuclear power stations is bad news all round. Firstly it is bad news for the environment, the investment in large scale nuclear plants that will take years to build will hold back investment in tackling climate change.

Secondly it is bad news for Heysham residents who are likely to face a nuclear waste dump by default on their doorstep as the spent fuel is put into storage on site because of the lack of any solution as to what to do with highly radioactive waste and the problems of lack of capacity at Sellafield.

And finally it is bad news for the regeneration of Morecambe, the building of Heysham 1&2 were the final nail in the coffin of Morecambe’s heyday, when construction workers filled the guest houses and forced out the last loyal holiday makers. Just as the town is starting to get back on its feet the last thing that it needs is a short sharp shock from the nuclear industry.

Cllr Chris Coates
Green Group Leader
Lancaster City Council