Lancashire gas storage scheme refused again

Proposals for a huge gas storage scheme in Lancashire have been refused planning permission for a second time.

Members of Lancashire County Council voted 12 to one to reject the scheme proposed by Canatxx UK which involved plans to create up to 36 new caverns in virgin salt deposits around the Wyre estuary between 300 to 400 metres below the surface.

The £300m project was designed to handle up to 360m cubic metres of gas and was planned to connect to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) unloading and regasification terminal in Amlwch, Anglesey, for which the developer, the UK subsidiary of a US energy company, already has permission.

An earlier version of the scheme was blocked by the then Communities secretary in 2007 after a recovered appeal. The Secretary of State’s decision was in line with the advice of a planning inspector and technical assessor.

The Preesall gas storage scheme was turned down on safety grounds as well as concern over the visual impact and scale of the proposed development which would have involved over 500 hectares of largely open countryside around the estuary, focusing on the eastern bank of the Wyre River.

Lancashire CC officers said the scale of the development would be detrimental to the open character of the countryside and criticised the applicants for failing to demonstrate that the project “would not present an unacceptable risk of gas migration”.

The project had been opposed by all the local and parish councils affected as well as the local MP and thousands of residents.

Canatxx chief executive Paul Grimes said: "This is a severe body blow to energy security of supply in the UK. We are extremely disappointed and frustrated by Lancashire County Council's decision.

"This is certainly not game over for this project; we will assess our options and announce our next steps in the next few weeks.

"Canatxx and our financial backers have every confidence that this project will get an approval."

You can view the application submitted to the council on the Canatxx website

Roger Milne
28 January 2010