A hit-list of addresses under threat of having their homes or land being bought by nuclear chiefs has been revealed.

Those who live at a number of locations along the A595 will receive a letter this week from NuGen, the firm behind a new nuclear power plant near Sellafield, to say they “are likely to be subject of negotiations to acquire a portion of their land or property”.

It is thought that between 30 and 40 addresses could be affected under the compulsory purchase scheme as part of the road-widening plans ahead of the Moorside development.

Those who are due to receive a letter – and potentially a follow-up visit from NuGen – live on or close to the A595’s junctions with:

  • Homewood Road, Hensingham
  • Criffel Road, Parton Brow and Brewery Brow, Parton
  • Ribton Moorside, near Hensingham
  • High House Road, Moor Row
  • Thornhill village

The addresses in the vicinity of Corkickle train station and St Bees rail line are also likely to be affected by the same negotiations due to NuGen’s rail improvement plans. 

The firm declined to reveal to exact locations until a public consultation opens in May.

NuGen says no decisions have been reached and compulsory purchases would be a “last resort”. It said the figure of 30 to 40 homes has “already been significantly reduced”.

A source told the News & Star that the threat of compulsory purchases has left a lot of people “very scared”.

They added: “People are getting letters that now specifically talk about compulsory purchases and are understandably getting very worried. If NuGen wants to widen the road, then it will be parts of people’s gardens and even properties, garages and outbuildings that they are threatening to take.”

Major projects, such as Moorside, can apply for compulsory purchase orders to make way for its plans, and the government takes the final decision. 

It is understood a separate batch of letters is due to go out to those who could be affected by NuGen’s plans – for the plant or its associated transport or accommodations links – in other ways, including noise or devaluation of property.

A NuGen spokesman said: “NuGen aims to have no compulsory purchases; this is very much a last resort which we are trying extremely hard to avoid. However, as part of the application process, this will remain open as an option if NuGen is unable to arrive at a suitable alternative.”

NuGen said no decisions will be made until after the 11-week public consultation which starts on May 14.