Revised Talacre underground cable plans aim to protect wildlife

A formal request has been made to Flintshire County Council to determine whether a revised underground cable scheme planned near Talacre Beach requires a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Liverpool Bay CCS Ltd has asked Flintshire Council to decide whether its revised cable plans near Talacre need a full environmental impact assessment.

Liverpool Bay CCS Ltd is responsible for the carbon storage side of the HyNet project, a major low-carbon initiative covering North West England and North Wales. The company will transport carbon dioxide captured from industry and hydrogen production, and permanently store it in depleted gas fields beneath Liverpool Bay.

This forms a key part of the wider HyNet network, which aims to reduce regional carbon emissions and support the transition to net zero.

The new application relates to a realignment of an underground electrical and fibre-optic cable route initially approved last year as part of the wider HyNet CO₂ transportation and storage project.

The company said the new route, which shifts the cable alignment around 250 metres east along Talacre Beach, would be used instead of the previously consented line approved under planning reference FUL/000246/23.

According to the developer, the revised alignment aims to reduce impacts on both wildlife and vessel movements near the Port of Mostyn. The new path avoids sensitive ecological zones and simplifies marine cable-laying operations.

The works include the installation of cable using trenchless Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) under Gronant Dunes, leading to an exit point just beyond the high-water line. From there, the cable would be buried across Talacre Beach and into the shallow coastal waters north-west of the Point of Ayr gas terminal.

Construction of the newly aligned cable route is expected to begin in early 2026, following completion of related onshore infrastructure work. The marine element of the project has already been reviewed by Natural Resources Wales and is set to be consented this month under Marine Licence CML2365.

The company states that the adjusted cable layout will cause less disruption to local wildlife, including little terns that breed in the Gronant Dunes. Construction of the HDD pit is scheduled to take place outside the breeding season, and cable installation across the beach will happen after most birds have migrated.

Environmental reports provided with the request conclude that the proposed works are unlikely to have significant effects on the environment, and an EIA should not be required. The proposal will still be subject to a planning application and will include studies on biodiversity, water quality and habitat assessments.

The company also plans to provide a detailed Construction Environmental Management Plan, drawing on mitigation measures agreed in the original consent.

Access to the site will be through the Talacre Beach car park, and temporary diversions will be in place for public rights of way including the Wales Coast Path.

Flintshire County Council is expected to provide a formal screening opinion by the end of May.

A covering statement in the screening request notes that the revised cable route is intended to deliver environmental and operational improvements while staying within the scope of existing permissions.

The developer also highlights continued engagement with statutory consultees and environmental bodies.