Consultation outcome

Site Evaluation - How we will evaluate sites in England

From:: Radioactive Waste Management
Published: 19 December 2018
Last updated: 18 February 2020 — See all updates

Detail of outcome

The final document: Site Evaluation – How we will evaluate sites in England was published on 18 February 2020.

The Site Evaluation document explains the relevant policy frameworks, and shows how Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) will apply these frameworks consistently and transparently. The Site Evaluation document also explains how we will structure evaluations using a series of Siting Factors and Evaluation Considerations. Our evaluations will focus on whether identified areas and sites may be suitable to host a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).

The Site Evaluation document has been designed to summarise, in plain and accessible terms, what RWM will need to consider during the siting process to ensure we meet and satisfy all relevant requirements and enable RWM to gather the necessary information to make applications for the consents that will be needed to investigate an area and subsequently, construct, operate and close a GDF.

In parallel to this consultation RWM carried out a consultation on how we will evaluate sites in Wales.

Feedback received

Site Evaluation - Consultation Response

PDF, 3.69 MB, 48 pages

Detail of feedback received

Across the two consultations that we carried out we received 90 responses from a variety of stakeholders including:

academics
local authorities
parish councils
environmental regulators
non-governmental organisations
interested individuals.

A summary of the responses that we received, the key messages that we took from the consultation and the actions that we have taken are captured in our Consultation Response document.

Original consultation

Consultation description

Following the written ministerial statement by Richard Harrington of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Radioactive Waste Management (RWM), a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, will now begin the search for a willing host community and a suitable site to construct a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).

In support of the Government’s policy announcement, please find attached the information for the Site Evaluation public consultation, which contains important details about how sites will be evaluated in England.

RWM organised a series of meetings across England to give people more information about the consultation and answer any questions they may have.

If you were unable to attend one of our meetings (or webinars) you may find the short videos in English and Welsh helpful. They were recorded for the webinars we held in Wales and contain much information that is applicable to both the England and Wales consultations with the key difference being that the videos do not specifically refer to the Draft National Policy Statement for Geological Disposal Infrastructure Requirements which is applicable in England only.

We would like to thank everyone who took part in the public events and responded to the consultation. We received 90 sets of comments and will publish our response later in the year.

For further information, visit our campaign website.

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