Clean-up of Shotton Steelworks land approved as part of £200m manufacturing plan
The first phase in the approval of a £200m manufacturing site at Shotton Steelworks that is expected to create 137 jobs in Flintshire has been given the go-ahead.
Flintshire County Council’s Planning Committee has granted approval for work to clean up and prepare 17.68 hectares – an area the size of roughly 25 football pitches – to make way for the proposed construction of a rock wool manufacturing facility by German family-owned insulation giants Knauf.
Permission to build the facility has yet to be granted but councillors have now given permission for the land where the factory could be situated to be ‘remediated’.
That gives Knauf permission to put up site boundary fencing, build a temporary haul road for construction traffic, set up welfare facilities for construction staff, divert the private sewer serving the former Tata facility and disconnection and terminate redundant utility services.
It also allows the removal of topsoil to a depth of approximately 100mm and permits the removal and processing of obstructions in the ground such as old building foundations in readiness for the new factory.
Two existing structures – a 43m high building to the west of the site and a 58m stack – will be retained.
Natural Resources Wales has already given it’s approval for environmental and pollution mitigations within the plan to protect the River Dee and Bala Lake Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Dee Estuary Special Protection Area (SPA) and RAMSAR and River Dee and Shotton Lagoon and Reedbeds Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which are all situated close to the site.
Planning officers recommended approval having been satisfied that all necessary ecological impacts had been considered.
Knauf’s Project Director Ian Gornall told the planning committee: “This land has been in industrial use since 1896, exactly 130 years since the Summers brothers purchased 10,000 acres of marshland for five shillings to produce galvanised steel sheeting.
“Our proposals progressed through public consultation earlier this year with no concerns raised by local residents. We have worked collaboratively with officers and consultees and fully support their recommendation for approval. Because of the site’s industrial heritage, there is a significant amount of remediation and ground preparation, which we hope to commence without delay and complete by the end of this year.
“This will help to speed up the overall programme by allowing us to progress with the remediation works ahead of bringing forward our development proposals to committee later this year.”
The remediation plan was unanimously approved – paving the way for Knauf’s full planning application.
By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email news (@) deeside.com
NEW: Add Deeside.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latest News
