Guidance

Case Study 4. Life Time Plans 2008, 2013 & 2018

Updated 3 June 2021

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When LLWR first reported to the West Cumbria Sites Stakeholder Group as an independent Site Licence Company, in March 2009, it listed a number of accomplishments since the PBO had taken over the running of the site on 1st April 2008 – top of that list was the development of its initial five-year Life Time Plan (LTP).

The LTP, approved by NDA, set out in immense detail, through a suite of documents, the work scope, schedule and budget, necessary to deliver important elements of LLWR’s mission over the following five years. Since 2008, two further LTPs have been produced, the second in 2013 and the third and final one in 2018.

The key elements of the 2008-2013 LTP were:

  • Continue the foundation for a strong safety and regulatory-compliant programme at the LLWR site.
  • Construction of Vault 9 to fill the short-term capacity gap.
  • Robust development and delivery of the Environmental Safety Case to allow operations beyond 2013.
  • Maintenance and operations of the plant to support uninterrupted waste disposal capability.
  • New initiatives for waste treatment options, waste segregation and alternative disposal for very low level waste (VLLW).
  • Introduction of new containers and transportation services for more efficient waste handling and disposal.
  • Establishment of an integrated National LLW Programme.

All of the elements in the LTP focused on ESTABLISHING LLWR’s future direction of travel and, all commitments were delivered safely and on time.

By 2013 the PBO had achieved its objective of transforming LLWR into a fully-integrated waste management company, but as Dennis Thompson, then Managing Director of LLWR, stressed at the time, there was still much more to complete to deliver LLWR’s ambitious mission.

Whilst the 2013-2018 Plan, a concise summary of the LTP which enabled the public to understand LLWR’s plans and to hold it to account, focused on cultural change and EMBEDDING the services, the 2018-2023 LTP was all about EVOLVING the organisation to support the NDA in a more integrated approach to waste management and ensuring that LLWR was prepared to face the future with confidence.

When the contract concludes all of the major programmes, since 2008, will have been delivered with total direct savings of approximately £50M against the baseline, providing real value and benefits for the NDA and UK taxpayer.

Whatever the future holds, LLWR will ensure it always has a Plan to ensure it remains on track.

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