Image: The River Ehen which flows out of Ennerdale looping towards Sellafield – the green space in between the Ehen and Sellafield is the so-called “Pioneer Park” previously “Moorside” – originally called “Bog Holes” for obvious reasons..
The following is a report by BEC a shadowy body with fingers in all sorts of pies which is primarily funded by Sellafield/NDA. The report on a proposed water and power thirsty AI Data Centre powered by equally water and power thirsty “Small Modular (Nuclear) Reactors” between the River Ehen and Sellafield, will be delivered to Cumberland Council’s Nuclear Issues Board on Monday 23 March 2026 at 10.30 am Council Chamber – Allerdale House, Workington. The Nuclear Issues Board will also be discussing the Nuclear Dump and how best to manufacture consent, particularly from the youth, with nuclear dump “youth groups” funded from the public purse via Nuclear Waste Services. This is despite the full Cumberland Council being denied a full debate and a full vote on the nuclear dump (less than a handful of councillors agreed to continuing in partnership with NWS to deliver a nuclear dump in which the high level waste from so called Small Modular Reactors (would be abandoned along with the mountain of existing nuclear wastes. (Petition urging Cumberland to hold a full debate and vote here)
REPORT FROM BEC to Cumberland Council Nuclear Issues Board to be delivered March 23rd
Pioneer Park
Cumberland Nuclear Issues Board
March 2026
Pioneer Park is a community focussed project – the purpose is to diversify the West
Cumbrian economy and provide a wide range of job opportunities to all elements of our community for the long-term future. We will be using the power generated at Pioneer Park to attract inward investment, as opposed to providing power to the national grid.
1. Market Engagement
BEC launched the Pioneer Park Prospectus and the Initial Market Engagement process in
early August, with the Market Engagement being successfully completed in late October, following discussions with over 40 interested parties.
These organisations included:
• Developers
• Small Modular Reactor (SMR) vendors (including all 4 GBE – Nuclear shortlisted
technologies)
• Renewable energy vendors
• Low carbon industrial organisations (Hydrogen, Sustainable Aviation Fuels)
• Data centre/ digital services providers
• Potential delivery partners
High-level conclusions
There is significant market interest in Pioneer Park. Given the constraints of the land available, only Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) can deliver the power that will be required to attract inward investment to our community and diversify the economy.
Small pockets of renewables (wind/solar PV) may be feasible on land that is unsuitable for SMR construction.
Given the geographical and infrastructure constraints of West Cumbria, a digital/technology- based economy is preferrable and more likely to succeed than a large scale clean industrial (Hydrogen or Sustainable Aviation Fuel generation) based economy (though there is potential for a single mid-range industrial facility alongside the data-led economy). The scale of land that has been designated in EN6 for new nuclear power generation and is being offered by the NDA for Pioneer Park, is sufficient to host three or more of most SMRs plus large-scale data centres. However, the shape of the land currently being offered is restrictive to development. This will be addressed through the Masterplan process.
There is significant market interest in the prospect of a nuclear-powered AI Growth Zone and data/technology led economic diversification in Cumberland. All organisations that BEC engaged with in the digital technology sector have unanimously recommended an interim solution to power early data centre deployment ahead of the construction and operation of SMRs and larger scale data centre deployment.
Agenda Item 7
Given the capacity limitations of the local grid, there will need to be a careful balance
between generating sufficient energy to attract inward investment and over generation. This will influence the SMR technology selection.
There are very few credible developers in the market that are close to being funded. This is our biggest risk to delivery.
As the first of a kind nuclear powered AI Growth Zone, we can transform the Pioneer Park project into a product that is scalable and exportable for the wider UK economy.
The consistent message from SMR Vendors and Developers is that the project timescale to the start of reactor operations will be in the order of 10 years.
While we will be aiming for up to 1Gw generating capacity, BEC is holding constructive discussions with a micro-reactor vendor that may give us an opportunity for smaller scale SMR and data centre deployment on an earlier timescale.
2. Government and Local Support
We are enjoying excellent support from Government (primarily the Department or Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)).
There have been regular constructive meetings with Director General and Secretary of State for DESNZ and the Director General’s team is working very constructively with BEC, as are the NDA, Sellafield Ltd, Cumberland Council and our local MPs.
The new Advanced Nuclear Technology Framework, recently issued by DESNZ, provides a helpful process for assessing projects for inclusion in a Pipeline for development.
3. Masterplan and Parallel Work
In December 2025, BEC was granted £1m by the NDA (with DESNZ support) to allow it to create a Project Management Office and develop a Pioneer Park Masterplan.
An Invitation To Tender (ITT) was issued in December for Masterplan production and PMO services, with a closing date of 23 January. BEC received ten high quality responses and, in late February, appointed engineering and
infrastructure experts Mott MacDonald and WSP as its delivery partners for the Masterplan at Pioneer Park. Work is beginning with immediate effect, having been formally launched in early March. It is expected that the Masterplan will be completed by the Autumn of 2026.
In parallel to the Masterplan development, BEC will be working with the NDA and Government to finalise the land release/transfer arrangements and the developer selection process.
4. Summary
BEC, with strong support from Government and local partners (NDA, SL, Cumberland Council, MPs), is making positive progress on Pioneer Park. There is significant market interest in Pioneer Park and a nuclear-powered data/technology driven economy in West Cumbria. This would diversify our economy and provide opportunities for a much wider range of employment opportunities in our community. The appointment of Masterplan/PMO delivery team will significantly accelerate progress.
Lakes Against Nuclear Dump 
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