Airbus agreement clears path for low-carbon power station in north Wales

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

Airbus UK has reached an agreement with the firm behind plans to build a low carbon power station to maintain a clear flight path to Hawarden Airport.

Uniper’s plans to replace Deeside Power Station on the banks of the River Dee at Connah’s Quay with a huge low-carbon plant are being evaluated and progressed by UK Government as a project of national importance.

The plant, will be connected to the Hynet carbon capture pipeline and take up an area of 105 hectares – the equivalent of almost 263 football pitches.

For the last 12 months however Uniper has been in negotiations with Airbus UK as the proposed size of its chimney stacks was too tall.

At 155 metres high, they extended up into the obstacle limitation zone – the protected airspace kept clear for aircraft such as the Beluga to manoeuvre, take off and land at Hawarden Airport.

Compared to other developments in the area the new power station will be enormous – the Flintshire Bridge stands just 118m tall and will be dwarfed by its new neighbour.

Almost 12 months ago in May 2025 Airbus UK at Broughton first told Uniper that it would not accept the stacks at their original height.

It stated then that the maximum allowable height would be 147.69 metres.

Following negotiations between the two parties it has now been confirmed that  Uniper and Airbus have agreed that the stacks on the new power station will reach a height of 145m.

Cranes carrying out construction work on the stacks may still breach the zone – but Airbus have stated it would accept this if that work was carried out in the summer months.