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One NorthEast backs down on nukes after furious protests

Plans by the North-East England regional development agency, OneNorth East, to commission a £50,000 business case for a new nuclear site in the area have had to be scrapped after a storm of protest.

The plan caused outrage among local green campaigners and North-East MPs, including Newcastle Central's Jim Cousins, who questioned why and how the tender was drawn up before Government policy on nuclear power has been decided.

Labour MP Mr Cousins welcomed the decision but wants a full inquiry into the handling of the matter and has pledged to table questions in Parliament. He said the issue will have embarrassed One NorthEast because one of the issues to be debated in the energy review is the use of public subsidy for new build nuclear power stations.

One NorthEast said: "After careful consideration … it was felt it would be better to wait for the Government's Energy White Paper Review to better inform us for any future decisions on energy sector development. The tender was premature in going out before these review findings were known.”

Newcastle Evening Chronicle 13th January 2006

The existence of the tender documents on the One NorthEast website was highlighted by the Newcastle Evening Chronicle on Monday 9th January 2006. Local campaigners immediately attacked the possible plans to build a nuclear power station in the North-East.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle 9th January 2006

The following day One NorthEast defended their decision to post a tender on their website for a business case for a nuclear site in the North-East. But a spokesman said "We recognise that the wording of the tender for this specific piece of work is ambiguous and are changing the document."

Newcastle Evening Chronicle 10th January 2006

The document was enough to spark fears that the 17-year fight from Druridge Bay Campaign, that drove plans to build a power station at Druridge Bay off the map in 1996, may be back on track. Bridget Gubbins, of Druridge Bay Campaign, said if the Government sees through its plans to put nuclear energy on its agenda, then the group would be "kept alive".

Northumberland Gazette 12th January 2006

Letters in response to One NorthEast's plan

Evening Chronicle 12th January 2006