Leaders at Wirral Council are preparing to urge the UK government to reconsider plans for a major CO2 capture pipeline linked to the proposed Peak Cluster carbon capture project.
Council leader Paula Basnett is expected to write to UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband outlining cross-party concerns about the project following a special council meeting where local representatives voiced objections to the development.
The Peak Cluster initiative aims to capture carbon dioxide from cement and lime plants in the Peak District before transporting it approximately 124 miles by pipeline to the Wirral coast. From there, the CO2 would be injected into depleted gas reservoirs beneath the Irish Sea for long-term storage.
Local concerns over environmental impact
The proposed £60 million ($80.5 million) pipeline has sparked significant local opposition, with hundreds of protesters gathering ahead of the council meeting and nearly 17,000 people signing a petition against the scheme.
Councillors from multiple political parties raised concerns that the infrastructure could affect the region’s coastline and natural landscapes. Some residents along the planned route have also expressed worries about potential safety risks associated with the pipeline.
Environmental groups including Campaign for the Protection of Rural England have called for greater consideration of potential landscape impacts as authorities weigh the benefits and risks of large-scale carbon capture infrastructure.
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Despite the criticism, the UK government continues to support the development of offshore CO2 storage as part of its broader decarbonisation strategy.
Officials have stated that independent environmental, safety, and technical assessments are conducted for each project and that existing analysis indicates a high level of long-term storage security. According to government estimates, typical storage projects are expected to retain more than 99.9% of injected CO2 over 125 years.
Project representatives have also said the pipeline would rely on established construction techniques and proven technologies, arguing that the infrastructure could play a key role in decarbonising the UK’s cement industry while supporting regional employment.
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