Update - 29 January 2025

Following feedback on the location of the pipeline route to the east of the Rocksavage HAGI, the Applicant is proposing to realign the pipeline directly to the south of the route previously consulted upon.

The route would pass to the south of Sutton Hall across the former Sutton Hall Golf Course, which has been returned to agricultural land. The amendment would increase the distance of the pipeline from residential properties and better align with an existing pipeline corridor.

The Applicant is proposing several amendments in the area near to the Central Hub following feedback received.

The Applicant proposes to extend the Draft Order Limits (boundary of development area) west to include the existing access off Northwich Road with the land between the red line boundary and the existing access to be used as a habitat mitigation area. The amendments proposed provide an opportunity for construction traffic to use the existing access, reducing the number of vehicles using the proposed access further east on Northwich Road. The habitat mitigation area could include the planting of woodland, hedgerows and the creation of ponds.

Following feedback received on the two HAGI options in Higher Walton, an additional option (HWH9) has been identified in this area within the Solvay Interox ownership. Option HWH9 is located to the east of option HWH2 on the eastern side of the West Coast Mainline railway. This is an area of previously developed land set within an existing industrial site.

For Option HWH9, the pipeline would route below the Manchester Ship canal via a trenchless crossing from two possible locations – the first from a location similar to option HWH8, the second in the adjoining field to the west. These are both accounted for within the proposed Limits of Deviation (LoD). The route of the Warrington spur, serving Novelis, has been amended through the Solvay Interox site and Morley Common.

The Limits of Deviation (LoD) have been widened next to the Moore Nature Reserve north of Birchwood Lane to allow the route to pass south of a pond and a rare, black poplar tree (s). These features were identified as part of an environmental survey undertaken in summer 2024.

In this location, the Applicant is proposing to extend the Draft Order Limits to include land either side of Pendlebury Brook. This land is proposed as ecological mitigation and it is intended to provide suitable alternative habitats for water voles in the area.

The Applicant received feedback on the pipeline route west of High Legh the characteristics of the land in this area. The Applicant therefore proposes to amend the alignment of the pipeline such that it would pass to the north of these features.

To provide access across the Crowley Brook from Moss Lane, the Applicant has made a minor amendment to the Draft Order Limits to include the option of using an existing crossing point into the proposed trenchless crossing location.

There are two amendments proposed by the Applicant in this area. The first is to replace the previous access route to the Partington HAGI (PH2), which was via the existing industrial site, to a route via Common Lane, as indicated by stakeholders.

The second amendment is an extension of the Project’s Draft Order Limits to include an existing Electricity North West wooden pole line (northern boundary of the field), to support a potential future grid connection and to improve safety during construction.

During Stage Three Statutory Consultation, the Applicant presented two alternative crossing techniques for the River Weaver and West Coast Mainline railway at Vale Royal – Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and a micro-tunnel. This was proposed as a single crossing location.

Construction challenges remain in this area, related to the length of the crossing and the nature of the ground and infrastructure to be crossed. The Applicant is therefore considering two crossing methodologies. An additional crossing location has therefore been included with options for two adjoining micro-tunnels, one routing south west under the railway and the other north west under the River Weaver. To allow for construction access, two alternative routes have been identified from the A556 for consideration.

The Applicant is proposing an extension of the Project’s Draft Order Limits at Frodsham Marshes along ditches south of Moorditch Lane and east of Hapsford Lane. This land is proposed as ecological mitigation and it is intended to provide suitable alternative habitats for water voles.

A further addition of land at Frodsham Marshes is an increase in the width of the Draft Order Limits of approximately 2.5m towards the bank of the ditch predominantly to the east of the junction between Brook Furlong and Moorditch Lane. This is to maximise the land available to the Project, to support avoidance of the existing telecommunications tower.

The area proposed for the Clockface HAGI includes an existing arable field margin, which is managed for the benefit of wildlife. The Applicant is proposing to extend the area of ecological mitigation in the form of an arable field margin alongside the Clockface HAGI compound.

The Applicant has identified an opportunity to work with the landowner of woodland either side of the proposed Trent and Mersey Canal crossing to improve the quality of the habitat in this location. This wooded area would be included in the Project’s Draft Order Limits as an ecological mitigation area.