Shropshire Star

Chirk factory allowed to build power plant

A factory on the Shropshire/Welsh border has been given the go-ahead to build its own electricity plant despite calls from local people that it should first 'get its house in order'.

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Kronospan, which makes medium density fibre board at its complex in Chirk, says it pays £1.2 million more a year for its power supply than a competitor in Scotland, yet has suffered dozens of days of reduced power in the last two years.

Mike McKenna from the company told Wrexham County Borough Council that allowing Kronospan to become self-sufficient in electricity would overcome long-term problems with security of supply.

He said the company paid higher network charges than other firms in the area.

"Our charges are £1.2 million more than a competitor in Scotland yet we have suffered 54 days' reduced power over two years," he said.

The company draws 65 per cent of its total demand for electricity from the grid and is also dependant on a biomass plant, gas turbines and oil/gas generators, he said.

Objections to the application for planning permission and also for retrospective permission to build air drying cyclones came from Chirk Town Council and local county borough members Councillor Ian Roberts and Councillor Terry Evans.

All three called for environmental monitoring equipment to be placed in Chirk to ensure that Kronospan met conditions on noise and pollution.

Councillor Evans said he wanted monitors placed on the school and at Rhos y Waun, paid for by Kronospan.

He said: "Chirk been through hell since the biomass plant was passed in 2014. We were told then that the operation permit would cover everything – that permit is as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

"I want a condition of the planning applications that we have a new permit and the independent monitoring equipment."

But planning officers said that a permit would not be seen as part of a planning permission and so the council's hands were tied.

It had to stick to planning regulations.

Councillor Jackie Allen, from Chirk Town Council, said: "

We would like at the very least a condition that independent monitoring is carried out. We must safeguard the health and wellbeing of the children of Chirk."

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