A redundant Carlisle rail freight terminal will be transformed into a manufacturing plant for nuclear waste storage containers.
Carrs Engineering UK lodged plans with Cumberland Council for the terminal in Brunthill Road on the Kingstown Industrial Estate. The authority has given the proposal the go-ahead.
Planners said: “In overall terms, the principle of the change of use of the building is acceptable and would not have a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the area or on the amenity of the occupiers of neighbouring properties, highway safety or biodiversity.
“In all aspects the proposal is compliant with the objectives of the NPPF, PPG and relevant local plan policies.”
A separate report states: “The site benefits from a railway siding which connects to the wider rail network in Carlisle.
“The site sits to the west side of the industrial estate and can be easily accessed from the A689 which has close connections to the M6 and A7. The site is surrounded by large industrial and warehouse developments.”
Since 2002, the site was used as a cement distribution depot, but ceased late last year and the building had remained vacant since.
Carrs Engineering said it was hoping to use it for a more traditional mix of uses including the manufacturing and assembly of large steel storage containers which would then be shipped, using the rail freight siding, to Sellafield in West Cumbria.
The containers would be used for storing radioactive waste and the application form also requested the change of use to cover a light industrial use to allow for a range of industrial and manufacturing uses within the site.
The report added: “There are no external alterations proposed, the application solely relates to the use of the building. Some internal reconfigurations may be required to suit the occupier’s needs however this is out of the scope of the planning requirement.
“There is an existing access onto Queens Drive serving the southern yard area and a further access onto Brunthill Road serving the northern yard area. No changes are proposed to these access points.”
According to the report HGV movements are expected to be an average of two vehicles in and two out per week. It adds: “Car movements are expected to be 12 movements in and 12 out twice per day.”
