Next Steps

Submission of the Application to the Planning Inspectorate (who administer applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects like the KGSP); and also with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) who will ultimately make the decision on the change.  

Following submission of our application, consultees and the public will be notified (including through press notices) that the application is being considered and there will be opportunities to provide further representations.  If an Examination is required to examine any particular issues, the public have an opportunity to be involved in that process.  Please see following link to guidance from the Planning Inspectorate on commenting on national infrastructure projects:

Have your say guide – Have your say about a national infrastructure project

The principle of underground gas storage (UGS) at the site has already been established through the approval of the consented DCO (Development Consent Order) in 2017. A Non-Material Change to allow the storage of hydrogen gas at the site was prepared and submitted in 2022 with Secretary of State notification in May 2024 that the change could not be determined through that process. However, the process identified significant national and regional need for a hydrogen gas storage site of this size to meet established goals to decarbonise the UK’s energy supply. 

We are now preparing a Material Change Application to allow the change from gas to hydrogen storage. The planning process started early in 2025 and the stages progressed to date include a preliminary environmental assessment, environmental survey and assessment stages alongside statutory consultation with stakeholders and ongoing meetings with the KGSP Local Liaison Group.

The original DCO consent states that the cavities will be used to store natural gas. The main change is proposing that hydrogen is stored in the cavities. The location, amount, size and construction method of the 19 cavities is not planned to change. 

All other aspects of the project including the site entrance on King Street, the site road network, the layout of gas processing plant, and electricity supply infrastructure would remain the same. No changes are proposed at the locations beyond the main Holford Brinefield site at Whitley, Lostock and Runcorn.