Council seeks provider for £200k contract to deliver legal advice on nuclear issues

The borough is home to the Sellafield nuclear site.

Copeland said it may require legal advice and support for the following areas of activity:

• Nuclear decommissioning of redundant facilities on the Sellafield site;
• Radioactive waste management at Sellafield and the Low Level Waste Repository;
• Proposals from developers for new nuclear projects;
• Interaction between the council and the Planning Inspectorate regarding applications for development consent for major infrastructure projects;
• Geological disposal infrastructure for management of the UK's high and intermediate level radioactive waste;
• Research and development activities related to disposition of the UK's Plutonium stockpile and the development of Small Modular Reactors;
• Development management, including but not limited to; negotiation of Strategic Planning Agreements and Planning Performance Agreements, negotiation of community benefits related to new nuclear developments, and applications for new nuclear/energy related developments under the Town and Country Planning Act;
• National (UK Government) and international nuclear energy and radioactive waste-related policy developments/consultations;
• Internal and external governance arrangements related to the nuclear industry, radioactive waste management and energy matters;
• Other new and emerging energy technologies, infrastructure and models.

The contract, which is worth an estimated £200,000, is for four years plus two potential extensions of one year each. It is expected to begin on 23 April 2019 and could run until 22 April 2025.