A fifth of RSRL Harwell land delicensed
December 21, 2011
From January, for the first time in decades, it will be possible to walk across the front of Research Sites Restoration Limited’s (RSRL) Harwell site without once stepping on nuclear licensed property.
Some six hectares of land outside the Eastern Entrance of the site and in the area known as the North Gate is being removed from the nuclear site licence by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
The change comes into effect on the 10 January 2012, when signs will be moved to mark the boundary of the new nuclear licensed site. This means that RSRL has now cleaned-up and delicensed 20% of the Harwell site.
“Delicensing represents the final stage of the nuclear life cycle and demonstrates that RSRL has completed its mission on that area of land,” explained Alan Neal, RSRL MD. “It also clears the way for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to de-designate the area, allowing the land to become part of the wider Harwell Oxford campus.
“In order to demonstrate the land was suitable for delicensing, RSRL had to carry out extensive surveying and sampling works that depended on the hard work of a number of RSRL staff, contractors and tenant organisations across the Harwell site. I would like to thank all those involved in helping to achieve this very significant milestone.”
For more information please contact Angela Vincent, RSRL Communications Manager.
