Government unveils £2bn regeneration plans for West Cumbria

  The government has revealed plans for a £2bn regeneration of West Cumbria’s coastland aimed at bringing 16,000 jobs to the region.   Business Secretary and Barrow & Furness MP John Hutton today unveiled plans to turn West Cumbria into the “Energy Coast”.   The centrepiece of the project will be a reactor built at the Sellafield nuclear plant alongside a nuclear training centre.   There will also be £200m allocated towards schools and another £100m for a nhospital, along with improved transport links and a hotel planned for Whitehaven.   John Hutton said: “The UK, like other countries around the world, is getting into a nuclear renaissance and given that West Cumbria is the home of the UK nuclear industry, we’ve got a tremendously exciting future ahead of us.   “The government will be doing all it possibly can to ensure the country as a whole, and local people, enjoy the economic dividends of the switch to nuclear, which is going to happen.”   The government has already committed £80m towards improving housing in the area, and £50m towards improving cultural, sporting and leisure facilities. helen.roxburgh@rbi.co.uk