Halite Energy - Gas Storage Application moves to the next stage

RESIDENTS’ OBJECTIONS TO GAS STORAGE SCHEME

The planning application documents from Halite for underground gas storage south of Knott End and under the Wyre can now be viewed at Libraries in Fleetwood, Thornton, Poulton and Knott End and also at the Wyre Civic Centre.
The Protect Wyre Group, which is made up of residents‘ groups on both sides of the Wyre, will be mounting a vigorous opposition to this application which it believes has not answered the concerns of the residents expressed in the previous three applications for gas storage in this area.

Halite proposes to create 19 new caverns in the layered salt bed below the River Wyre between Stalmine / Preesall and Fleetwood, each cavern being up to 100m in diameter and 340m in height in which they want to store 900mcm of gas, equivalent to 18,000 gasholders (or gasometers as we used to call them).

An average of 10,000 people objected each time to the three previous applications and PWG is urging everyone to make a last final effort by objecting to this fourth application.

There are two options.

The first option is to:
register your wish to be an interested party allowing you to become actively involved in the process. You can do this on line at the IPC web site - http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/preesall but it must be done before 10th February 2012.

The second option is :
for those residents that simply wish to write a letter of concern and opposition to the scheme and you will be able to do this by writing to or emailing the Protect Wyre Group (PWG), asking them to represent you at their meetings with the IPC but this doesn’t need to happen until March or April time. You do not have to live in the immediate area to oppose the scheme – it is equally valid to oppose the scheme if you feel it might impact on your friends and family who could be affected by the proposed development.

The IPC accepted Halite’s application for examination on 23rd December 2011.
The words ‘for examination’ are key because this acceptance simply means that Halite has submitted the correct documents, that they have adequately consulted the local authorities, etc and that they have followed the IPC’s guidelines with their submission. In short they have ticked all the right boxes and their application is complete and is ready to be examined in detail over a 6 month period.

Halite Energy HAS NOT been granted full planning consent for the proposed development
at this time.

Interested parties in an application can:
◦ Say what they agree or disagree with in the application and why
◦ Comment on what other people have said in their representations
◦ Attend a Preliminary Meeting and say how they think the application should be examined
◦ Request that an open floor hearing is held
◦ Attend and request to speak at open floor or issue-specific hearings
You do not need to submit your full and detailed evidence at this stage as you can expand upon your evidence during the examination period.

PWG will be registering and listing the following summary points:
Suitability of geology for gas storage
Mining History of the area
Risk of gas migration and subsequent explosion
Fear and concern of residents
Security and emergency access provisions
Monitoring and maintenance of existing salt field
Major incident response
Gas pipelines to and from the NTS
Pollution of the sea, Morecambe Bay & local rivers with brine discharge
Protection of SSSI, SPA, RAMSAR sites
Amenity value of Wyre Estuary
Knott End Golf Course
Visual impact of proposed buildings
Traffic & Highway safety
Noise pollution
Human rights and Seveso II Directive
Cause & consequences of blow out at Brine Well 45
The actual need for this scheme
Extension of current storage proposal
Tourism
Home insurance premiums and house prices
Other infrastructure projects, port, marina, barrage, Hillhouse, Hackensall Treatment Works, etc
Decommissioning plans

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If you choose not to register but still wish to write to the IPC there is nothing stopping you in doing this except that if your letter is received after 10th February and you haven’t registered then it is at the discretion of the Commissioner whether it is considered.

This is where the second option comes in because you will be able to send your letter to PWG
after this date asking PWG to represent you in this matter and your letter will be presented as part of their evidence to the IPC and it will therefore be considered.

The IPC will hold a ‘Preliminary Meeting’ at least 6 weeks after the close of registration period
(10th February) and this meeting will be to discuss how the application will be examined but not to discuss the merits of the proposal.
The 6 month examination period will start the day after the ‘Preliminary Meeting’.

Ian Mulroy (Chair PWG)
www.pwgroup.org.uk