The Economy, Infrastructure and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the proposed Peak Cluster pipeline, a major carbon capture project. The committee reviewed the council's governance arrangements for responding to consultations on this nationally significant infrastructure project and noted the changes to the planning regime.

Peak Cluster Pipeline

The committee reviewed the proposed Peak Cluster pipeline, a significant carbon capture and storage project that aims to extract emissions from local cement plants, including the Cauldon Cement Plant, and transport them via a new pipeline across Staffordshire, Cheshire, and the Wirral to seabed storage off the coast of Liverpool. As this is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), the final planning decision rests with the government, but the council acts as a statutory consultee.

Concerns were raised by local councillors representing areas along the proposed route, including Leek and the Staffordshire Moorlands. Councillor Charlotte Kelly, representing Leek Rural Division, highlighted landowner concerns about potential land devaluation, crop damage, and safety issues related to pipeline integrity. Councillor Gary Hales, representing Uttoxeter Rural Division, expressed worries about disruption, noise, and traffic during the construction phase, noting the broad nature of the current planning application. Councillor Mike Broom, representing Biddulph North Division, raised significant questions about the project's scale, the safety implications of transporting liquefied CO2 under pressure, potential environmental contamination of water bodies, and the lack of detailed information on the pipeline's materials and construction. He also questioned the carbon footprint of the construction itself and the potential for concrete to be used in the pipeline's installation, which seemed contradictory to the project's aims.

Further concerns were voiced regarding the potential impact on public rights of way and countryside access, the depth of the pipeline, and the disposal of excavated material. Questions were also raised about the project's cost implications for the council and whether the National Infrastructure Project would cover all reinstatement costs. The lifespan of the project and the eventual obsolescence of the pipeline were also discussed, with some councillors suggesting rail transport as a potentially more sustainable alternative. The legacy of burying CO2 underground for future generations was also a point of discussion.

Officers from Staffordshire County Council explained that the project falls under the Development Consent Order (DCO) regime, and while the council is not the decision-maker, its role as a statutory consultee is crucial for influencing the project and minimising local impacts. They outlined the council's internal governance arrangements, including a pipeline consultation response group (PCRG) comprising various officers to coordinate responses and ensure members are kept informed. The report detailed changes to the national planning process under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, which aim to streamline infrastructure planning and reduce legal challenges.

The committee noted that Phase 2 consultation would be undertaken later in the year by the project promoters, Peak Cluster Limited, and that the government's reforms to the NSIP process would affect the pre-application stage, making consultation more flexible. Councillors expressed a desire for clear timelines to allow residents to voice concerns effectively and for more detailed information on the pipeline's route and potential impacts. The potential for contamination of water bodies like Rudyard Reservoir and Tittesworth Reservoir was a specific concern.

The committee recommended noting the changes to the NSIP planning regime, the geographical areas of the proposed pipeline, and the proposed governance arrangements for the County Council's response. They also recommended that the matter be moved towards a full council debate.

The meeting concluded with a vote to note the recommendations, and the committee agreed to move the discussion on the Peak Cluster Pipeline to a full council debate.