Councillors assured talks on £390 million glass bottle plant are imminent

Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter

Meetings between council staff and developers of a £390 million glass bottle making factory that could create hundreds of jobs will take place soon – councillors have been told.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Place scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday, April 29 councillors asked for an update on the much anticipated development, which is expected to see Turkish firm CiNER build the facility in Ebbw Vale.

This was during discussion of the Regeneration and Community Services Performance Report for 2024/2025.

Lack of progress

The firm were given planning permission by councillors to build the factory at a site on the Rassau Industrial Estate back in June 2022 and concerns are raised by councillors every few months or so on the lack of tangible progress being seen with the scheme.

This is because of past projects such as the Circuit of Wales project which was for a motor racing circuit and technology park development proposal on moorland on the outskirts of Ebbw Vale, which promised much but ultimately failed to materialise.

Opposition leader Cllr Wayne Hodgins (Independent) said: “The big ticket question on everyone’s minds at present is is there any update regarding the CiNER glass factory.”

Business and regeneration service manager Owen Ashton said: “Discussions are still ongoing with CiNER and Welsh Government who are a key partner.

“There are lot of commercial aspects to this, I know there are meetings pencilled in over the next few weeks, and I can provide an update in the next round [of committee meetings].”

‘Reassuring’

Cllr Hodgins said: “It’s good to hear that the project at this point in time is not dead in the water, it’s very reassuring for us and the wider communities of Blaenau Gwent.”

In February 2024 Blaenau Gwent planners approved amendments to the planning permission for the factory.

Changes to the scale, height, layout, appearance, access, and landscape of the site were agreed and a condition about Great Crested Newts was deleted as the amphibians are not present at the site.

CiNER is currently working to build two new state-of-the-art glass factories to help increase its glass production capacity to serve the European market.

The first glass plant will be situated in Lommel, Belgium which they hope to have built by 2026 – their second factory is the one earmarked for Ebbw Vale.

CiNER have been asked to comment.