Campaigners celebrate decision by Lincolnshire County Council to withdraw from talks over nuclear waste dump
Campaigners and councillors popped open Champagne to celebrate after Lincolnshire County Council pulled out of talks to bury nuclear waste near the coast.
The executive of the newly Reform UK-led authority voted unanimously to withdraw from a community partnership that had been joined with Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) in 2021, ending Lincolnshire's involvement in the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) siting process.
The former gas terminal site in Theddlethorpe was originally earmarked for the development. However, NWS shifted its focus earlier this year to open countryside between Gayton le Marsh and Great Carlton due to competing interests.
Ahead of the local elections in May, Sean Matthews pledged to withdraw from the partnership on day one if he became leader of the council. During a meeting on Tuesday morning (June 3), he confirmed the process had begun immediately.
“Today is the completion of that process, demonstrating that, when we at Reform UK say something, we do it,” he said.
Outside, on the steps of the council offices, East Lindsey district representative Travis Hesketh (Independent) popped a bottle of Champagne to mark the occasion, joining new Reform UK executives and fellow campaigners in celebration.
He told reporters: “It’s been a four-year campaign and the community has stood absolutely steadfast. We've never wanted nuclear waste under our beach, we knew it would damage the visitor economy and Lincolnshire County Council wouldn't listen.
“And today, Sean Matthews, Reform UK and Lincolnshire County Council have listened—listened to the public and delivered a result. We're out of the dump.”
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service afterwards, he said he was “absolutely ecstatic.”
“For the first time, LCC has been listening to what we’ve been saying.”
When asked if he believed this would truly mark the end of Lincolnshire’s consideration for the facility—after East Lindsey District Council leader Craig Leyland (Conservative) warned there are “no guarantees” the site wouldn't still be selected due to Labour’s majority in Parliament—Coun Hesketh said: “Could you imagine them coming now, having seen this overwhelming rejection? They would just be stabbing themselves in the eye.”
County councillor for Saltfleet and the Cotes, Bayleigh Robinson (Reform UK), explained that pulling out of the GDF community partnership was one of his main priorities during the election campaign, following years of uncertainty that had left residents “distressed.”
“They voted for Reform for something different and to deliver a promise, and our promise was to stop this GDF—and we’ve followed through.”
He added: “On the doorstep, people were saying they didn’t know where this was going. They didn’t know where this site was going to be—it’s changed from Theddlethorpe to between Great Carlton and Gayton le Marsh. They were just flabbergasted that it was put there.”
He argued that if the proposal returned, public confidence would be in “shatters.” He continued: “People do not want this.”
Another campaigner, who preferred to remain anonymous, described the news as “slightly unbelievable”.
“I didn’t actually feel wholeheartedly that it would happen—I thought there would be a turn at the very end,” they said.
Reflecting on the past four and a half years, they added that they found it challenging to share their concerns and ask detailed questions about the development and said they found that NWS focused solely on promoting the positives of the scheme.
Responding to the decision, Simon Hughes, NWS Siting and Communities Director, said: “NWS has to date granted over £2 million to support local community projects in the area, and we are pleased to have left a lasting positive legacy for local people.
“We will now take the immediate steps needed to close the Community Partnership, and the communities of Withern, Theddlethorpe and Mablethorpe will leave the GDF siting process.”
