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Canatxx back with new plan
PLANS to create a mass gas storage facility in Wyre are back – under a new name.
American company Canatxx has battled with protesters, Lancashire County Council and the Government planning inspectorate for almost a decade in a bid to store 1.2 million tonnes of gas under the river Wyre in Preesall.
Now Canatxx – despite seeing its plans shot down three times – say they will not be appealing against the decision.
But the company has reformed into Halite Energy, which is set to submit revised plans for the site.
The new company, which no longer has American businessman Paul Grimes at its head, has new managers.
Their overtones have not convinced protesters who say the plans - as yet to be finalised - still pose a significant threat to residents and environment.
Bruce Gibson, newly-appointed senior project manager for Halite Energy, said: "This company is totally new. We realised our mistakes, and Halite will operate a completely open and honest policy - we've many exhibitions and consultations planned. We had an initial meeting with residents who live immediately next to the site."
Halite bosses, who have the same offices as Canatxx had in St George's Court, Kirkham, describe the new proposals as smaller, but claim they are in their infancy and no estimate can be placed on the scale and cost.
Canatxx's original plans were for 36 underground caverns, at a cost of 300m.
Mr Gibson added: "We are looking at developing two areas of salt under the River Wyre, and there will definitely be fewer caverns, though we cannot say yet as plans have not been submitted.
"We hope to submit the plans to the Infrastructure Planning Commission in mid-September, after extensive consultation.
"The company is very new. The people at the head will be different and the ethics are completely different."
The commission was set up in 2008, meaning decisions for big applications, such as the Halite proposal, would be taken out of the local council's hands.
However, the company has to provide a file for Wyre Council and Lancashire County Council to prove it has held widespread consultation.
Halite is backed financially by DW Shaw, a global investment firm with offices across the globe, who have majority ownership.
Ian Mulroy, chairman of the Protect Wyre Group, said: "I was totally unimpressed.Changing a name doesn't change the concept.
"There are still 100,000 people within miles of the proposed site. The ground conditions remain unchanged, the salt is still unsuitable, and the company are being extremely vague about the size of the project, which leads us to believe it won't be much smaller."
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Monday 13 February 2012
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