The Tails Management Facility (TMF) is a major nuclear materials management facility located at Urenco UK’s Capenhurst site in Cheshire and operated by Urenco ChemPlants Ltd. Developed as part of Urenco’s long-term strategy for the responsible management of depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF₆), the facility provides a centralised European capability for the safe and sustainable management of uranium enrichment by-products.
With a project value exceeding £1 billion, the facility forms an important part of the UK’s nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure and supports the continued supply of low-carbon nuclear fuel across Europe.
The development of the TMF required a complex planning and environmental strategy within a highly regulated nuclear environment and Green Belt location.
Key challenges included demonstrating the need for the facility, managing the safe handling of radioactive and hazardous materials, securing environmental permits, controlling emissions and waste streams, protecting ecological and water resources, managing transport and construction impacts, and addressing stakeholder and public concerns associated with a major nuclear development.
Axis’ nuclear team, led by Technical Director Alistair Yates (pictured right), acted as project lead throughout the planning and consenting process, preparing the planning application and coordinating the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) documentation required to support the development.
The nuclear team organised and delivered public consultation activities, including a pre-application public exhibition, before managing the project through submission, determination, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness.
Over a period of more than 10 years, Axis continued to support Urenco through post-consent activities, including the discharge of planning conditions. In 2021, the team successfully secured discharge of the final planning condition, enabling the beneficial operation of the facility.
The Tails Management Facility now provides a centralised European capability for the management of depleted UF₆ generated by Urenco’s enrichment operations in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.
The facility converts depleted UF₆ into a more stable form suitable for long-term management, supporting responsible nuclear stewardship and sustainable fuel cycle operations.
With a project value exceeding £1 billion, the facility supports a significant number of highly skilled operational, engineering, maintenance, and support roles at Capenhurst, contributing to a wider workforce of more than 650 direct employees and generating thousands of additional jobs through construction, specialist contractors, and the wider supply chain.
During construction and commissioning, the project achieved more than seven million safe working hours without a lost-time injury, establishing it as one of the safest major construction projects in the UK nuclear sector.
Key benefits
Reflecting on the project, Alistair Yates, Nuclear Project Lead and Technical Director at Axis, said “Projects of this scale demand more than technical planning expertise – they require a long-term strategy that integrates environmental assessment, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance, and operational delivery. Supporting Urenco through every stage of the TMF’s development over more than a decade demonstrates the value of a coordinated planning approach in helping complex nuclear projects move successfully from concept to operation.”