Public Notice: The Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage Project

THE ALDBROUGH HYDROGEN STORAGE PROJECT SECTION 48 THE PLANNING ACT 2008

Regulation 4 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 and Regulation 13 of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment “EIA”) Regulations 2017.

Notice publicising a proposed application for a Development Consent Order for the Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage Project.

Notice is hereby given that Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage Limited (“the Applicant“), whose registered office is 1 Kingdom Street, London, W2 6BD, proposes to make an application (“the Application”) to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero under Section 37 (applications for orders granting development consent) of the Planning Act 2008 for a Development Consent Order (“DCO”). The Project is a collaboration between Equinor and SSE Thermal.

The Application is for the proposed Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage Project (“the Proposed Development”). The Proposed Development is located approximately two kilometres from Aldbrough Village, north-east of Hull, in the Holderness area of the East Riding of Yorkshire. The Project will be located next to the existing Aldbrough Gas Storage facility which is operated by SSE Thermal. The existing facility has stored natural gas in underground salt caverns since 2011.

The Proposed Development’s main components are:

Hydrogen storage infrastructure: up to nine subsurface caverns to be created in deep-underground salt formations to safely store hydrogen.
Marine infrastructure: pipelines running below ground between the Hydrogen Storage Facility and the North Sea for the abstraction of sea water and return of brine.
Above ground facilities: including a central processing area, a wellhead and leaching area.

The Project is an Environmental Impact Assessment development (“EIA Development“), as defined by the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. An Environmental Statement will be submitted as part of the application. A Preliminary Environmental Information (“PEI”) Report forms part of the consultation material. This will assess the likely significant effects arising from the Project on the environment.

Consultation on the proposals will take place from 17 June to 18 August 2024.

Copies of the consultation materials, including the documents, plans and maps showing the nature and location of the proposed development, will be available to view or download free of charge from 17 June 2024 until 11.59pm on 18 August 2024 on the project website via the library page: www.aldbroughhydrogen.com

Copies of the consultation materials may be requested in hard copy, free of charge (with the exception of the full PEI Report which will be charged at £0.35 per page) or on USB, free of charge, during the consultation period by contacting the project team at AHS@ERM.com, by telephone on 01865 384980 or by writing to Freepost Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage.

If you are unable to access the project website, you can view hard copies of the documents from 17 June 2024 until 18 August 2024 during opening hours at:

Aldbrough Sports Hall, Recreation Field, Garton Rd, Aldbrough, HU11 4QA
Hornsea Community Hub, Broadway, Hornsea, HU18 1PZ
Beverley County Hall, Cross Street, Beverley, HU17 9BA

Should you have any questions about the consultation or the Project please visit the website or contact the Applicant using the above details.

There will be six in-person drop-in events in public locations within the vicinity of the proposed Project in Aldbrough, Sproatley and Garton. Details of planned face to face events are provided below:

Any person may comment on the proposals or otherwise respond to this publicity. Responses must be received no later than 18 August at 11.59pm. Responses received after this time may not be considered.

When providing your response, please include your name and address or, if you would prefer your comments to be anonymous, your postcode only. Please also confirm the nature of your interest in the scheme.

A feedback form is available as part of the consultation materials at deposit locations, consultation events and online. A printed copy of the feedback form can be requested by contacting the project team through the details below.

Response to the consultation can be submitted in the following ways:

Online via our website (www.aldbroughhydrogen.com)
By post at Freepost Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage
By email (AHS@ERM.com)

The Applicant will consider and have regard to all responses when developing the application for a DCO once consultation has closed. Responses will form the basis of a Consultation Report that will be one of the factors taken into consideration by the Secretary of State when deciding whether the Application can be accepted for examination.

By submitting a consultation response to the Applicant, a respondent agrees that we may supply a copy if their response to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate if required to do so. However, Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage Limited will request that personal details are not placed on the public record. Personal information will be processed and handled securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018). The information may be disclosed to or shared with the Applicant’s connected companies, agents, contractors and advisors who provide services to the Applicant in connection with the preparation of an application for development consent under the 2008 Act. This will allow the Applicant to fully consider the responses and use them in preparation of application materials/ the information will be used solely in connection with the consultation process and the development of this project and, except as noted above, will not be disclosed to any third parties.

If you would like further information about this notice, the consultation or the scheme, please contact the project team via the contact details above.

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