Planning applications
There are two planning applications relating to the Pathfinder (AHP) project
24/02391/STPLFE
Construction and installation of Pathfinder infrastructure: comments by 4 December 2024
24/02593/PHAZ
Hazardous Substances: comments by 25 November 2024
Points to consider when commenting
There are too many things to mention here, some of which will be more important to you than others. Below is a non-exhaustive list of some of the most general points you may wish to address
Comment on the planning
When you are ready to comment, you can do it online at ERYC, by emailing planning@eastriding.gov.uk or via post:
The online portal times-out after 30 mins, so it is a good idea to write your comments down before trying to submit. There is a 5000 character limit (longer submissions can be emailed).
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Planning and Development Management
County Hall
Cross Street
Beverley
HU17 9BA (include the planning references)
Size and scale
Pathfinder buildings will be 30 metres tall and will dominate the landscape – these will rise far above current and any future screening
There is a significant cumulative effect from two projects happening at the same time: Pathfinder and the upcoming Hydrogen Storage project – ten years of construction
Every 2½ minutes HGV traffic for Pathfinder will pass by, with 472 staff cars moving each day. Combine this with Hydrogen Storage, and HGVs will pass every minute, with 608 staff cars moving around in this rural farming/tourism landscape.
Transport route
- Garton
- Aldbrough
- Flinton
- Sproatley
- Wyton
- Bilton
- Holderness Road
SSE/Equinor still has a huge parcel of farmland that they can use if this ‘proof of concept’ works – it paves the way to bigger and larger production projects.
Setting
- Industrial project domineering over small historic rural villages. Green hydrogen production should be located in an industrial setting such as Salt End.
- Increasing industry in this scale diminishes our rich heritage assets.
Safety of Hydrogen
- It is lighter, leakier and more volatile, and surrounded by gas infrastructure.
Alternatives available
- The site can be powered by solar with battery.
- The proposed green Hydrogen production projects at Salt End will power the Humber in the correct industrial setting. Pathfinder is not necessary/ a vanity project.
- There are more efficient and environmentally friendly ways of producing green hydrogen.
Community
- Constant barrage of projects, and changing stories, creates fatigue, anxiety, and mental stress.
- Reduction in assets/home value and rural way of life.
- Won’t discuss potential community compensation for this project.
- Current community fund not fit for purpose (too many hoops).
- Effects of air/light pollution / noise nuisance (electrolysers/turbines).
- Influx of construction traffic making roads less safe for all users.
- Little chance of jobs for local people – only a total of 13 jobs once project is operational.
Environmental
- Cutting into vulnerable cliff accelerating erosion – plans of 3 separate cuttings for the 2 projects.
- Extracting loads of groundwater to make hydrogen will dry out the land and create cracks.
- Air pollution/light pollution/noise nuisance/sea pollution (toxic sludge)/flue gas pollutants
- Impact of all this pollution on wildlife, sea life and humans
Comment on the planning
When you are ready to comment, you can do it online at ERYC, by emailing planning@eastriding.gov.uk or via post:
The online portal times-out after 30 mins, so it is a good idea to write your comments down before trying to submit. There is a 5000 character limit (longer submissions can be emailed).
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Planning and Development Management
County Hall
Cross Street
Beverley
HU17 9BA (include the planning references)