Signed up to Change.org a while back to sign a cycling relating petition…got an email today which surprised me a little. Then again why should anyone ever be surprised at the stunts these absolute ramjets will try and get away with…

Anyway here’s the email, can’t believe there’s a mountain biker who wouldn’t take a few seconds to sign this…

Dear Ewan,

Our beloved Lake District could be in danger once more. Earlier in the year, thousands of 38 Degrees members came together to stop nuclear waste being dumped in the Lake District. [1] But victories like this one are now under threat.

The Lake District was saved from nuclear waste because 38 Degrees members persuaded the local council that it was a bad idea. But now the government are planning to change the law so that people-powered victories like this will be harder, if not impossible. [2]

The government’s now consulting on a new scheme to bypass local opposition. Their consultation closes on Monday. So we don’t have long to try and persuade them it’s a terrible idea.

Can you email the consultation now and tell the government to stop their plans?
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nuclear-waste-disposal

Under the new proposals, local people wouldn’t have a say on whether or not to accept nuclear waste. The decision could be made by their district council and Westminster bureaucrats. There will be almost no way for local people to be heard – entire communities could be shut out.
[3]
So please, take a few minutes to respond to this consultation. If enough of us email the government expressing our concerns, we can persuade them to think twice about shutting out local people.

It’s really easy to send an email into the consultation. Just click here to help protect communities from nuclear waste:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nuclear-waste-disposal

I was so proud when 38 Degrees members came together from across the country to protect the Lake District for generations to come. But now, future fights are at risk and we need to work together once more for communities across the country. If anyone can do it, I know it’s us.

Thank you for your support.

Roger Parker,
38 Degrees member from the Lake District

Notes:
[1] 38 Degrees blog, Nuclear Dump Victory
http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2013/02/11/lake-district-nuclear-dump-sharing-the-good-news
[2] Gov.uk, Full consultation paper
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/geological-disposal-facility-siting-process-review
[3] Friends of the Lake District, Proposed underground nuclear storage facility process flawed
http://www.fld.org.uk/proposed-underground-nuclear-storage-facility-process-flawed.html

It depends what “changes to planning laws” you’re asking about.

If you’re asking about the recent consultation on proposed changes to major infrastructure planning then the answer is no (but the consultation period has now ended).

But there are almost continuous changes to the planning system, so it really does depend on what changes you’re referring to.

Shouldn’t you be trying to close down Windscale and all the other nuclear reactors instead?

You’d really prefer to have the nuclear waste on the surface, right next to the Lake District (and upwind), rather than it being securely underground via some buildings on the very edge of the hill? It won’t affect mountain biking in the Lakes one bit.

You think the people who actually live in Copeland and Allerdale shouldn’t decide for themselves what happens on their patch? You say local people won’t have a say – the local people will, it’s the non locals (as you say “38 Degrees members came together from across the country”) who think they know better.

(aP – the Windscale reactor was shut down in 1981 and has since been dismantled)

Yes, I know. I meant all the other UK reactors – they’re obviously bad, right?

Under the new proposals, local people wouldn’t have a say on whether or not to accept nuclear waste. The decision could be made by their district council and Westminster bureaucrats

Hang on, if the decision is made by the District council, it’s likely they’re the Local Planning AUthoirty already. So they already make these decisions. How do they get their power? They get voted in by local people, so if you don’t like their decisions then don’t vote for them. Am I missing something here?