National Grid has submitted to Tewkesbury Borough Council its planning application for a new pressure reduction installation (PRI) on land east of Flat Farm off the B4213, east of the existing Tirley Above Ground Installation (AGI).
The council is expected to look at the application prior to its registration after which it will be available for public viewing at Tewkesbury Borough Council offices and Newent Library, along with the detailed site selection report and Environmental Statement.
The application follows eleven months of extensive evaluation and consultation that looked at the two areas initially identified by National Grid as potential sites for the PRI and a further six areas which the councils and local residents’ group CAPRI (Campaign Against the Pressure Reduction Installation) wished to be considered further.
National Grid Senior Project Manager David Mercer said: “The PRI is needed at or near to the existing Tirley AGI as an essential part of the project to connect the new Felindre to Tirley natural gas pipeline, which is now complete.
“The PRI will ensure the pipeline can run at its full capacity, efficiently and economically, enabling it to carry up to 20% of the UK’s gas supplies. If planning permission is granted for the PRI on the site east of Flat Farm, the existing Tirley AGI will be decommissioned and the area returned to a greenfield site.”
The consultation process included a joint site visit attended by members of National Grid’s project team, officers from Forest of Dean, Tewkesbury and Malvern Hills Councils and committee members of CAPRI. Two public exhibitions were also held during the autumn at Corse and Staunton Village Hall and Tirley Village Hall.
The final site selection report was circulated last month to the local planning authorities, CAPRI, Corse, Staunton and Tirley Parish Councils for their comments.
National Grid has also carried out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to assess the likely effect of the PRI on the local wildlife, landscape and cultural heritage. The results of the EIA have been published in an Environmental Statement (ES), which is available to view with the planning application.
National Grid is now writing to everyone who attended the two public exhibitions along with householders who live within 3km of the proposed site informing them of the planning application and where it can be seen.
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