Wednesday 1 August 2018

Sellafield announces strategy to protect local economy as work nears completion

Sellafield Ltd has announced a new Social Impact Strategy to help protect and maintain the local economy as reprocessing at the site nears completion.

It has outlined a number of objectives to help secure inward investment and reduce the economic challenge of over-reliance on the local nuclear industry.

The firm in charge of the Sellafield decommissioning site directly and indirectly provides 58.7% of all jobs in the surrounding area of Copeland, with every one of these jobs sustaining three others in the rest of the economy.

It plans to enable inclusive growth in the capacity, diversity and capability of local businesses, support sustainable activities that create self-reliance and independence, create social impact with its supply chain and boost skills and knowledge.

To help identify opportunities to strengthen the regional economy, the firm is launching a Development Advisory Board bringing together local leaders, trade unions and other businesses.

Sellafield Ltd has already announced it is investing £2.6 million in a project to convert Whitehaven’s derelict bus station into a hub for start-up businesses, following a £10.6 million investment in the new Whitehaven Campus opening later this year.

Head of Corporate Affairs, Jamie Reed, said: "By working together we can leverage the investment that government makes on the site – currently over £2 billion a year – to create sustainable growth by both diversifying the economy and reducing West Cumbria’s reliance on Sellafield."