Public event to hear hydrogen plant fears

16 hours ago

Gareth LightfootLocal Democracy Reporting Service

Councillors Paul Weston and Katie Weston have raised concerns about noise levels

Tom Zagoria Katie Weston and Paul Weston are standing side by side in front of a red brick house. They are both in their 40s, she has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing a green jacket, he is a little older with a blue jacket and light blue jumper. They are both smiling. — Councillors Paul Weston and Katie Weston have raised concerns about noise levels

A consultation event is being held for people living close to a proposed hydrogen production plant amid concerns about noise levels and safety fears.

Protium Green Hydrogen Supply Ltd has applied for planning permission to build the facility at the Haverton Hill Industrial Estate off Port Clarence Road in Stockton.

The developer said it expected "no significant impacts", but there have been a number of objections from residents.

Ahead of this Wednesday's drop-in event at Port Clarence Community Centre, Billingham South Councillor Katie Weston said: "We need enforceable guarantees that noise levels will not harm the local quality of life."

Members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions and listen to feedback from 1600 to 2000 BST on 29 April.

The brownfield development site sits close to houses

Google A satellite view of part of Port Clarence with the site where the proposed hydrogen production plant may be built in the middle. A housing estate is shown on the right of the picture. From there, and moving to the left, there is a road, then a thin line of trees followed by a single track railway line. There is further greenery before a road on the edge of the industrial site. That has a few buildings dotted around a wharf on the River Tees, the water dominating the bottom centre of the image. Much of the land around it is empty and used for parking, but there is a huge industrial unit and lots of shipping containers in the top left. — The brownfield development site sits close to houses

The proposed plant would produce up to 1.8 tonnes of hydrogen daily, a fuel included in the government's strategy to produce less carbon.

The company said construction of a noise barrier meant the plant would cause "no significant change in ambient sound levels" or harm to air quality, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But objections to the application cited public safety concerns, the effect on house prices and a risk of flooding.

Labour's Katie Weston says traffic congestion is also a "major concern".

"Given the outstanding safety questions, the deficient consultation process and the unmitigated impact on local traffic, I cannot support this application," she said.

Fellow Labour ward member Paul Weston said he had concerns about the close proximity to homes and the possible "blast zone.

He called for more consultation on those "critical issues".

Nick Hayward, Protium's head of projects, said the proposal was "brownfield regeneration in action" as the site had been dormant since 1979.

"We take the concerns of local residents seriously, which is why we will be meeting the community and why every aspect of this project has been independently assessed against the highest design, quality and safety standards," he said.

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