An industrial plan for a pioneering community
West Cumbria is a unique and special place. It is the birthplace of much of the civil nuclear industry, representing the first clean energy revolution in the last century. It has a rich industrial heritage in mining and steel. The community sits between stunning coastline and the most visited National Park in the country.
Yet for all of this history, and the ongoing world leading work in nuclear decommissioning, there is huge untapped potential. West Cumbria is a remote community but there are many occasions when it has been a pioneer community, and it should be again.
This detailed industrial plan, building on an earlier version that was developed and published before the 2024 General Election, sets out a roadmap for a prosperous and diverse economy in West Cumbria. One built on the strengths of the nuclear industry but not limited to decommissioning alone.
This plan was written with three simple tests in mind. Firstly, to diversify the West Cumbrian economy away from over-reliance on nuclear decommissioning so that it is more vibrant and resilient. Second, it sets out how we can regenerate towns in West Cumbria so that they are attractive places for people to live and to visit, to attract and retain the workforce we need as well as building vibrant communities. Finally, it points to how we can ensure the nationally important mission at Sellafield has the people, skills and infrastructure to succeed.
Each plank of this plan is linked and dependent on another. Each one builds on works that is already underway and that has a high level of support from the public and existing political and business buy-in. The aim of this plan is to explain how it all fits together and to make the strongest case possible for this collective action to get West Cumbria growing.
The plan starts from West Cumbria’s greatest existing economic strength which is our leadership in the nuclear industry. Growing our nuclear industry means delivering the next phase of nuclear decommissioning work, especially plutonium disposition, in a way that strengthens West Cumbria’s economy. It also means creating the conditions for new nuclear power generation that could power up new industry.
Expanding the Port of Workington as part of this wider industrial plan will open up West Cumbria’s economy to new markets and create further opportunities to diversify away from reliance on nuclear decommissioning whilst also supporting future work at Sellafield.
Using new nuclear and the doorway of an expanded port, the plan also sets out how these could spark new industry to come to the area. This will also require us to back existing innovative businesses and support the next generation of start-ups and scale-ups with access to investors and quality research and development.
Upgrading our infrastructure so that we have the basics of broadband and mobile connectivity as well as more resilient and faster rail connections will enable so much else in this plan. As will ensuring that we have the electrical grid needed for this industrial revival.
A cross-cutting factor across all of these is the need for a new model of public and private partnership so that we can make big things happen fast. The field of economic development in West Cumbria is littered with well-intentioned plans that have failed to take off. This time things need to be different.
Getting this plan implemented would create substantial growth, delivering thousands of new jobs, new wealth and new pride for West Cumbria.
I’d like to put on record my thanks to Martyn Staveley of 3 Peaks Consulting and Ian Wheeler for all of their work in pulling together this plan.
I’d also like to thank those who engaged with us throughout the process: Cumberland Council, Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, BEC, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, local trade unions and businesses.
I’m launching the plan and my plan to unlock land to deliver new nuclear in West Cumbria at a public meeting at 6pm on 26th June. Sign up to attend here
Josh MacAlister MP 