Atomic Energy

Some people may not be aware of Culcheth's role in the development of the UK's nuclear power industry and the world's first commercial-size reactor (Calder Hall in 1956). During the second world war there had been a Royal Ordnance factory at Risley making bombs (not nuclear). Housing for the workers had been created in Culcheth, including Newchurch Hall (now Taylor Business Park) and Little London (now Pendle Gardens). After the war the government was keen to develop nuclear power, initially for nuclear weapons but increasingly for peaceful purposes, particularly electricity power stations. The Ministry of Supply created an Atomic Energy Division and its industrial HQ and research facility was established in the former Royal Ordnance Factory in Risley. The housing in Culcheth was now taken up by the staff for this new project. The organisation grew rapidly and was responsible for the planning, design and development of much of the infrastructure of the new nuclear power industry in the UK. Early projects included a research reactor at Harwell, a nuclear fuel factory near Preston and the Windscale reactor. A relatively high proportion of the staff for this organisation lived in Culcheth.

The staff accommodation at Newchurch Hall included a large hall and sports facilities and this was the start of the DATEN Club (now Culcheth Sports Club). Eventually, as new housing became available, the old wartime huts and prefab accommodation were demolished. Part of the new housing was a staff hostel on Church Lane which has now been converted into flats. The DATEN Club moved to its present location, which had formerly been a hall on a wartime Naval base, and in 1958 opened its membership to local residents as well as UKAEA staff. On the Little London site the Atomic Energy Authority created the Safety and Reliability Directorate (SRD). This scientific research organisation provided a consultancy service to other government agencies and private industry as well as UKAEA. Of course, many of the highly skilled scientists and engineers in this organisation lived in Culcheth and the surrounding area. Similarly, some Culcheth residents worked for British Nuclear Fuels (devolved from UKAEA) based at Risley. SRD remained in Culcheth until 1995 and BNFL remained at Risley until 2006 when its HQ was moved to Daresbury.