Decision over controversial plans for a new hydrogen plant delayed

Lewis Smith, local democracy reporter

Decisions over controversial plans to develop a new hydrogen energy facility have been postponed.

Members of Bridgend County Borough Council were set to decide on proposals for the new Hybont hydrogen project at a special meeting that was scheduled for October 17.

The meeting was set for the councils planning committee to decide on the future of the hydrogen and solar energy scheme, which could eventually be set across two sites in Bryncethin and Brynmenyn.

If approved the project would see a hydrogen production facility built by developers Marubeni Europower Ltd on Brynmenyn Industrial Estate with plans that would also include hydrogen storage, electrolysers, a hydrogen refuelling station, and a solar farm.

However a council spokesman said the meeting had been postponed just a day before it was due to take place after further information was received on the plans from a statutory consultee.

New information

A council spokesman said: “The council will need to assess this new information and how it will affect the planning application and time must be allowed for the applicant to respond. A new date for the rescheduled special meeting of development control and the planned site visit will be announced soon.”

Previously the plans for the scheme have led to a major backlash from residents in Bridgend with protests held outside the council’s offices due to what they said was a lack of clarity and safety concerns with the facility’s proximity to local housing in the village of Bryncethin.

Further protests were expected at the latest meeting in the long-running saga, which due to the scale of opposition to the proposals would have included a site visit by members as well as representations from the applicant and objectors alongside local town and county borough councillors.

Welsh Government

Officers previously noted how the plans were subject to a call-in request with the Welsh Government having issued a “holding direction” over them meaning as it stands, unless this direction is removed, Bridgend council can only reject the plans but cannot approve them.

They explained the “complicated” situation where the council could reject the plans but would only be able to say what they were minded to do in the event that they wanted to approve them.

While the report which was set to be given to members recommended approval of the plans with conditions they also noted a “significant” level of objection from members of the public with over 250 letters received from residents and businesses in the Bryncethin, Brynmenyn, and Sarn areas.