Latest news with #CraigLeyland
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council withdraws from nuclear waste talks
A council has officially withdrawn from talks to bury nuclear waste in the Lincolnshire countryside. Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), a government body, had earmarked an area near Louth, in East Lindsey, as a possible site for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). At a meeting on Wednesday, East Lindsey District Council's executive board unanimously agreed to end its involvement in the process. A spokesperson for NWS said: "We acknowledge and accept the decision made by East Lindsey District Council." In 2021, the district council joined a community partnership group with NWS to examine a previous proposal to bury waste at a former gas terminal in Theddlethorpe, near Mablethorpe. However, NWS later announced it had moved the proposed location of the facility to land between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton. East Lindsey councillors said the new location was prime agricultural land and significantly different from the former gas terminal site. Council leader Craig Leyland told the meeting the proposed site would have a "detrimental impact on the countryside", adding that the council's involvement in the process had "antagonised and distressed" local communities and residents. "We have come to a decision point where we feel the best option for us to support our local communities is actually to withdraw from the process," he added. Councillor Adam Grist, portfolio holder for market towns and rural economy, said: "We were right to enter the discussions however many years ago, and we are right to withdraw now. "I think the goalposts clearly moved this year," he added. Lincolnshire County Council remains in the process, but leader Councillor Martin Hill said the authority shared some of ELDC's concerns about the new location. The authority has indicated it would pull out of talks unless it received "significant" further information about the proposals. The GDF would see nuclear waste being stored beneath up to 1,000m (3,300ft) of solid rock until its radioactivity had naturally decayed. Three areas had previously been shortlisted by NWS - Mid Copeland and South Copeland in Cumbria and Lincolnshire, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Council leader prepares to end nuclear waste talks Nuclear waste plan 'would scar Lincolnshire Wolds' Protesters step up pressure over nuclear talks East Lindsey District Council Nuclear Waste Services Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
East Lindsey District Council withdraws from nuclear waste talks
A council has officially withdrawn from talks to bury nuclear waste in the Lincolnshire Waste Services (NWS), a government body, had earmarked an area near Louth, in East Lindsey, as a possible site for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).At a meeting on Wednesday, East Lindsey District Council's executive board unanimously agreed to end its involvement in the process.A spokesperson for NWS said: "We acknowledge and accept the decision made by East Lindsey District Council." In 2021, the district council joined a community partnership group with NWS to examine a previous proposal to bury waste at a former gas terminal in Theddlethorpe, near NWS later announced it had moved the proposed location of the facility to land between Gayton le Marsh and Great Lindsey councillors said the new location was prime agricultural land and significantly different from the former gas terminal leader Craig Leyland told the meeting the proposed site would have a "detrimental impact on the countryside", adding that the council's involvement in the process had "antagonised and distressed" local communities and residents."We have come to a decision point where we feel the best option for us to support our local communities is actually to withdraw from the process," he Adam Grist, portfolio holder for market towns and rural economy, said: "We were right to enter the discussions however many years ago, and we are right to withdraw now."I think the goalposts clearly moved this year," he added. Lincolnshire County Council remains in the process, but leader Councillor Martin Hill said the authority shared some of ELDC's concerns about the new authority has indicated it would pull out of talks unless it received "significant" further information about the GDF would see nuclear waste being stored beneath up to 1,000m (3,300ft) of solid rock until its radioactivity had naturally areas had previously been shortlisted by NWS - Mid Copeland and South Copeland in Cumbria and Lincolnshire, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'We can't deliver 130% rise in housing targets'
A Lincolnshire council leader has described new housing targets as "unrealistic". East Lindsey District Council leader Craig Leyland is "challenging" the government after being told the area must see a 130% rise in the number of new homes every year. He says the ambition to build more "must be rational". The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government said Lincolnshire has to "play its part" in building more homes. The government has pledged to see 1.5 million new homes built in England between now and the next General Election. New, mandatory targets for Lincolnshire mean a total of 1,552 a year - a rise of 52 percent on previous targets under the Conservative government. Within that figure, each district has been given its own target and in East Lindsey it jumps from 437 to 912 homes per year. Councillor Leyland said that the council is "seeking to understand where the figures have been arrived at". He says the council is "granting enough planning permissions" which are not always acted upon by developers. The challenges of building by the coast, because of flood risk, and the Lincolnshire Wolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, make the targets even more unachievable, he claims. "That forces the development into our market towns and small communities which are already struggling," he said. Evie Capps, aged 20, from Horncastle in East Lindsey, is living with her parents, and works full-time in a cafe. "In order to buy a house, I would have to have £10,000 saved and I would have to earn at least three times more than I do now," she said. "There should be more houses, not overcrowding. It would be better for the community." As well as setting the new targets, the government has also promised to overhaul the planning system. Lincolnshire developer Steve Gelder, founder of the Gelder Group, is sceptical about the targets currently being met "because we don't have the skilled workforce and the planning system gets in the way". Housing is a key issue in next month's Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral elections. Conservative candidate Rob Waltham said the targets are "undeliverable" because "the sites to build them haven't been allocated and to do that you'd have to go through a whole new process with local plans". Andrew Jenkyns, who is standing for Reform UK, said "we need to build more homes but need to ensure local people have a true voice and are properly consulted". Trevor Young, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said the targets are "unrealistic": "It's okay for the government to come up with idealistic targets but where are the jobs and money coming from?" Marianne Overton from the Lincolnshire Independents said she "has fought hard against the imposition of over-ambitious targets which are very hard to meet". Sally Horscroft of the Green Party said "we would do our best to deliver but it has to be the right housing in the right places". Jason Stockwood, Labour candidate, has been approached for comment. In a statement, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government said the targets are "vital given we have inherited the worst housing crisis in living memory". "Alongside this, we have taken decisive action to build up essential skills in the construction industry, including training up to 60,000 more engineers, bricklayers, electricians, and joiners by 2029 to tackle skills shortages," it said. Government to fall short of housing target, figures suggest Some councils ordered to increase home building by 400%, new BBC tracker shows You can see more on this story on Politics North at 10:00 GMT on BBC One on Sunday or on BBC iPlayer. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here, external. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government East Lindsey District Council
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New housing targets for Lincolnshire "unrealistic" says council
A Lincolnshire council leader has described new housing targets as "unrealistic".East Lindsey District Council leader Craig Leyland is "challenging" the government after being told the area must see a 130% rise in the number of new homes every says the ambition to build more "must be rational".The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government said Lincolnshire has to "play its part" in building more homes. The government has pledged to see 1.5 million new homes built in England between now and the next General mandatory targets for Lincolnshire mean a total of 1,552 a year - a rise of 52 percent on previous targets under the Conservative that figure, each district has been given its own target and in East Lindsey it jumps from 437 to 912 homes per Leyland said that the council is "seeking to understand where the figures have been arrived at".He says the council is "granting enough planning permissions" which are not always acted upon by challenges of building by the coast, because of flood risk, and the Lincolnshire Wolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, make the targets even more unachievable, he claims."That forces the development into our market towns and small communities which are already struggling," he said. Evie Capps, aged 20, from Horncastle in East Lindsey, is living with her parents, and works full-time in a cafe."In order to buy a house, I would have to have £10,000 saved and I would have to earn at least three times more than I do now," she said."There should be more houses, not overcrowding. It would be better for the community." As well as setting the new targets, the government has also promised to overhaul the planning developer Steve Gelder, founder of the Gelder Group, is sceptical about the targets currently being met "because we don't have the skilled workforce and the planning system gets in the way". Housing is a key issue in next month's Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral candidate Rob Waltham said the targets are "undeliverable" because "the sites to build them haven't been allocated and to do that you'd have to go through a whole new process with local plans".Andrew Jenkyns, who is standing for Reform UK, said "we need to build more homes but need to ensure local people have a true voice and are properly consulted".Trevor Young, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said the targets are "unrealistic": "It's okay for the government to come up with idealistic targets but where are the jobs and money coming from?"Marianne Overton from the Lincolnshire Independents said she "has fought hard against the imposition of over-ambitious targets which are very hard to meet".Sally Horscroft of the Green Party said "we would do our best to deliver but it has to be the right housing in the right places".Jason Stockwood, Labour candidate, has been approached for comment. In a statement, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government said the targets are "vital given we have inherited the worst housing crisis in living memory"."Alongside this, we have taken decisive action to build up essential skills in the construction industry, including training up to 60,000 more engineers, bricklayers, electricians, and joiners by 2029 to tackle skills shortages," it said. You can see more on this story on Politics North at 10:00 GMT on BBC One on Sunday or on BBC to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here, external.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protesters step up pressure over nuclear talks
Lincolnshire County Council is being urged to withdraw from talks to bury nuclear waste in the countryside. Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), a government body, has earmarked an area near Louth, in East Lindsey, as a possible site for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). Ahead of a meeting of East Lindsey District Council on Wednesday, opponents gathered to support a motion urging the county council to withdraw from the consultation process. NWS said a GDF would only be built where there was a "suitable site with a willing community". In 2021, the district council joined a community partnership group with NWS to examine a previous proposal to bury waste at a former gas terminal in Theddlethorpe, near Mablethorpe. However, in January this year, NWS announced it had moved the proposed location of the facility to land between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton. Last month, the leader of the district council indicated that it would withdraw from the talks. Councillor Travis Hesketh (Independent), who brought the motion, told the meeting: "I represent the area where the nuclear dump was originally going to be placed, but now it's moved. "We're here today because East Lindsey has said they are going to pull out, which is a terrific thing, but they need to go further. "They need to say we oppose this and we want Lincolnshire County Council to do the same." He said the proposals had "ruined two communities" and claimed house values had been "decimated". "No one can sell their house in the Carlton or Gayton area, they're stuck. It's time to make a decision," he added. The motion was passed with 43 votes in favour, four abstentions, and no votes against, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). District council leader Craig Leyland told campaigners that the decision by NWS to relocate the search area from the gas terminal to open countryside "was a very different matter". The council was due to meet on 23 April to discuss a proposal to officially withdraw from the process, he said. One campaigner who attended the protest, 64-year-old Nigel, from Theddlethorpe, said he had been fighting the plans since "day one". "Now the area of focus has shifted, I feel I need to support the people affected in that area as well. We're just trying to force the council's hand now," he said. Martin Hill, the leader of the county council, told LDRS that although there was potential for big economic growth and investment, he understood that "we are now talking about a different scenario", with the obvious impact on property values and local people. "I think, along with East Lindsey, we should resolve this as soon as possible. The only issue to me is whether that is done by the public directly, or whether the councils make the decision on their behalf," he added. Simon Hughes, siting and communities director at NWS, said: "We remain fully committed to working with Lincolnshire County Council as the remaining relevant principal local authority in the community partnership as we continue the search for a suitable site for a GDF. "A GDF will only be built where there is a suitable site with a willing community, and we are looking forward to building on our engagement to ensure people have the information they need to make an informed decision." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Nuclear waste plan 'would scar Lincolnshire Wolds' 'Nuclear waste would be disaster for our seaside' Potential nuclear waste sites identified East Lindsey District Council Lincolnshire County Council NWS
