by Sam Lennon

Plans to press on with a project for a nuclear waste site on Romney Marsh were thrown out last night.

Shepway councillors voted 21 to 13, to not go to the next stage of the £12 billion scheme, making a formal Expression of Interest to the government.

Many were swayed by the fact that local people had rejected the scheme two to one in a consultation.

Cllr Paul Marsh (People First party), who tabled a motion to reject the scheme said: “The people gave a clear result. What credence can you have if you ask them and you don’t take any notice of what they say?”

Even Marsh councillors, who believed the centre would be needed to provide jobs on the deprived Romney Marsh, felt they could not ignore the public feedback.

Dymchurch and St Mary’s Bay councillor Russell Tillson (Con) said: “The Marsh is steadily dying and action is needed. The nuclear facility was a brave attempt but I believe in localism. The vote against was overwhelming and we have to respect the consultaiton.

“So even with a heavy heart I will vote for Cllr Marsh’s motion.”

The results of a consultation launched in May revealed 63% of respondents, against 33% voted not to ask the council to make the EoI to the government, which would still not be a commitment to the project.

The 50-minute debate at Shepway Civic Centre in Folkestone followed a question and answer session of more than an hour from councillors to officers on the complex project.

The scheme would have involved nuclear waste coming from all over Britain and being buried deep underground.

Groups such as Kent County Council and Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins had already spoken against the scheme.

Last night’s vote, which included four abstentions, was to formally recommend to council leader Robert Bliss not to submit an Eoi.

Speaking this afternoon, he confirmed he was falling in with the full council’s vote against taking the nuclear waste plan forward.

Cllr Bliss had the right to oppose the councillors’ decision but instead agreed with them, saying the authority would continue with alternative schemes to regenerate the district.

He said: “We would have failed the Romney Marsh if we had not seized the opportunity to explore a project that would bring potential benefits worth millions of pounds. It was absolutely right to take this issue to the people of the Marsh and give them the chance to have their say.”

Cllr Bliss said the council would continue to lobby for Dungeness C, third nuclear power station following the phasing out of the A and B plants.

He said it would also put pressure on the government to make a decision abotu the expansion of Lydd Airport.