The Project

In March 2017, the Keuper Gas Storage Project was given consent to store natural gas in 19 newly created underground salt cavities on the Holford Brinefield.

Due to the project’s importance in helping the UK meet its increasing energy needs, it was classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This means that rather than going through the local authority like most planning applications, it required a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

In 2022, an application to amend the development was submitted, elements within the request have been consented through the planning process. Together these approved planning applications make up the Consented Development.

The main aspects of the consented project were:

• The construction and operation of up to 19 underground cavities with capacity to store up to 500 million standard cubic meters (mcm) of natural gas, having an import and export capability of up to 34 mcm per day.capability of up to 34 mcm per day

There were also some smaller construction works to be delivered as part of the Project:

• Two new brine tanks on the Lostock Works site, off Griffiths Road, Northwich
• The refurbishment of the existing Whitley Pumping Station in Whitley
• The extension of an existing brine outfall pipeline, located at the main INOVYN ChorVinyls site in Runcorn

The existing brine pipeline (which runs from the Lostock Brine Purification Plant in Northwich to Runcorn) will continue to be used to transport brine to INOVYN’s operations in Runcorn. This pipeline will not be used to transport gas.

What is a Development Consent Order? 

A DCO is a type of planning permission under the Planning Act 2008 for certain large infrastructure projects, called Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) such as major roads, railways, ports, airports, power stations, and wind farms. 

Why is KGSP a NSIP? 

KGSP is a NSIP because of the project’s importance in helping the UK meet its increasing energy needs. This means that rather than going through the local authority like most planning applications, the material change will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate or PINS who will administer the application before the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero makes the final decision after examination. 

KGSL carefully considered traffic and transport associated with the consented development. Experience of construction of other gas storage projects in the area and feedback from the consultation was taken into account when developing the proposal, in particular the road layout and traffic routing. Drawing on this feedback, it is proposed to use the existing access point on King Street to access the development area, meaning HGVs will not travel through Byley village. An internal, one-way construction routing system is proposed for the main development site. Although the impact is considered negligible based on the existing traffic levels, a Construction Traffic Management Plan will be produced to support the construction phases to ensure that vehicles adhere to the proposed routes. The HGV routing drawing which shows offsite routes to the main entrance is appended to the Section 106 Agreement (a legal obligation) and shown in the Plan below. There are no plans to change the current Agreement as part of the Material Change.

Further information on traffic and transport can be found here.

Measures will be put in place during construction to minimise disruption to local people. A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) and Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) will be agreed with Cheshire West & Chester Council in advance of construction starting. This will set out agreed working hours and how potential issues such as noise, lighting and dust will be managed.

Construction hours would be between 0700hrs and 1900hrs Monday to Friday, 0700hrs to 1300hrs on Saturdays, and no working on Sundays or bank holidays. There may be times when construction is 24hrs as some construction activities are required to be continuous, such as cavern creation. However as assessed within the Noise chapter of the PEIR, construction noise from drilling with mitigation would be negligible at all receptors, which would be Not Significant.

Further information on managing construction impacts can be found here.