A nuclear laundry operating on a Workington industrial estate will need to apply for planning permission to address “some issues”.

Allerdale council launched an investigation into the Energy Coast Laundry site at Lillyhall following a complaint from environmental pressure group Radiation Free Lakeland.

A subsequent inspection of the site by planning officers revealed that original permission for general industrial use had indeed been changed before it opened as a laundry.

This means the company will now need to apply to bring it back into line with planning rules.

Separate public safety concerns raised by Radiation Free Lakeland are not a planning issue and are regulated by the Environment Agency.

And bosses who run the laundry have already moved to reassure the public, insisting that they deal only with “none active” basic clothing worn by Sellafield workers and contractors.

A council spokesman said: “Allerdale council’s planning officers have undertaken further investigations including inspections.

“Following these investigations it has become apparent that there are built structures which do require regularisation with planning permission and we are working with company officials to resolve this.

“Whilst the issues include the use of structures as a laundry, the type of material being cleaned is not a planning issue.”

Previously, the council stressed that the plans had been through the proper scrutiny and that there was “no evidence” to suggest that the activity on site at the laundry was in breach of planning legislation.

Marianne Birkby of Radiation Free Lakeland said: “Allerdale acknowledge that this nuclear laundry has set up shop on the Lillyhall Business Park without planning permission.

“However, their reply to us makes it clear that the council is colluding with Sellafield’s agenda to divert nuclear activity miles away from its main site and into the public domain using private companies to carry out lucrative contracts to pollute the wider environment.

“The assurance from Allerdale council that the laundry from Sellafield is screened and that the drains at the ECL laundry checked daily smacks of complicity with the nuclear industry rather than any desire to protect the public or our increasingly stressed environment including the increasing nuclear industry use of the public water supply.

“The laundry has a comprehensive radioactive substances permit from the Environment Agency – who seem to be giving out radioactive permits for private companies to service Sellafield like confetti.”

But council leader Marion Fitzgerald, who has visited the site and met with staff, is satisfied that the site poses no risk to the general public.

In a letter to Mrs Birkby, she said: “My visit assured me that stringent checks are in place both at Sellafield and at the laundry itself to ensure that there is no danger to employees or to the general public.

“The materials handled at the laundry are, as above stated, at negligible risk of exposure to radiation and would be held on site at Sellafield if above normal background levels were ever detected.”

The company is now working with planning chiefs to ensure they are complaint.