FAQs

The PoA Cable Route Foreshore Works forms part of the Liverpool Bay CO₂ Transportation and Storage (T&S) infrastructure to serve the wider HyNet Industrial Decarbonisation Cluster. HyNet is the UK’s leading industrial decarbonisation cluster, which aims to unlock a low carbon future in the north west of England and north Wales by tackling carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from industry and supporting economic growth in the region.

The Point of Ayr (PoA) Cable Route Foreshore Works comprises of two phases of work:

Phase 1 (February to early April 2026) involved the installation of an underground section of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) conduit under Gronant Dunes originating from the HDD Entry Pit [consented under FUL/000246/23] to a buried HDD Exit Pit at the Mean High Water Spring (MHWS) line

Phase 2 is due to begin in August 2026 and will focus on the installation of a combined electrical and fibre-optic cable from Warren Farm to Talacre Beach through the underground conduit, and subsequent lay and burial across Talacre Beach and Foreshore to the Mean Low Water Spring (MLWS) line, located to the north-west of the PoA Terminal. This phase is expected to last until late October 2026, subject to project progress.

During this phase, a new power and communications cable will be brought ashore at Talacre Beach and installed between the beach and the New Douglas offshore platform by a specialist cable laying vessel (CLV).

The cable will be buried beneath the beach and seabed. Once the work is complete, the beach will be restored and no visible infrastructure will remain.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from industry which form part of the HyNet cluster across north Wales and the north west of England need to be transported safely to the carbon storage sites underneath Liverpool Bay. It is important that we transfer the captured CO₂ to the storage sites in a safe and reliable way. These storage sites have previously held natural gas for millions of years and will be repurposed to safely store the CO₂ from industrial emitters. The installation of new underground combined electrical and fibre-optic cable between the PoA Terminal and the New Douglas Offshore CCS Platform will supply the power and upgraded telecommunications needed to support the receipt and distribution of CO₂ to the storage sites.

The structures currently visible on Talacre Beach are temporary and essential for the construction phase to install the combined fibre optic and electrical cable underground. The combined fibre optic and electrical cable will connect the New Douglas Offshore CCS Platform to the onshore grid at the Point of Ayr Terminal to supply the power and upgraded telecommunications needed to support the receipt and distribution of CO₂ to the storage sites.

The HDD cable installation took place from February to April 2026. The beach preparation and cable pull is expected to take place from August to late October 2026. Please note these dates are subject to change.

All equipment, including temporary fencing, screens and signage, will be removed on completion of the works. On the beach, the cable will be covered by sand and any remaining equipment will be removed. This means that there will be no visible infrastructure on the beach when construction is complete.

The existing Point of Ayr to Douglas natural gas pipeline is already in place and will be repurposed to form part of the CO₂ Transportation and Storage infrastructure. Captured carbon will be transported to the New Douglas Offshore CCS Platform using the existing pipeline.

The gas reservoirs in Liverpool Bay are now depleted, and oil and gas production has ceased. The reservoirs are uniquely placed close to the industrial heartland of north Wales and the north west of England to make them the ideal storage site for the HyNet Cluster.

CO₂ injection operations at the depleted natural gas fields beneath Liverpool Bay are planned to take place for 25 years, after which they will be permanently closed to provide safe, long-term CO₂ storage. The storage sites will be subject to long-term monitoring in line with UK legislation.

No. While part of the wider HyNet project aims to deliver a low carbon hydrogen network to produce, store and distribute hydrogen to decarbonise north Wales and the north west of England, this is being developed by other parties and does not form part of the Liverpool Bay CO₂ T&S infrastructure.

The Point of Ayr Cable Route Foreshore Works will connect the onshore grid at the PoA Terminal to the New Douglas Offshore CCS Platform in Liverpool Bay, to supply the power and upgraded telecommunications needed to support the receipt and distribution of CO₂ to the storage sites.

You can direct any questions about hydrogen to info@hynet.co.uk who will be able to provide you more information on this topic.

The Point of Ayr (PoA) Cable Route Foreshore Works forms part of the Liverpool Bay CO₂ Transportation and Storage (T&S) infrastructure which will help support thousands of new jobs in north Wales and the north west of England and will secure the long-term future of existing jobs. There will also be greater career opportunities for local people, tapping into the area’s blend of industrial experience and scientific expertise, which together will create a hotspot for innovation and growth.

Our ongoing community benefit initiatives in the local area, such as our coastal education programme and DangerPoint, will continue to make a positive impact. We’re also actively exploring new opportunities to collaborate with environmental, social and governance (ESG) partners and to engage with local students and schools. We hope to be able to share more details about these initiatives and the proposed Community Benefit Fund soon.

If you have ideas or proposals for community benefit activities, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via our project email address: hello@hynethub.co.uk.

We recognise that construction can have an impact on the local community. We are working closely with our contractor, Boskalis, to support minimising disruption wherever possible. While some construction activities will require working 12 hours a day, cable laying activities will require working 24 hours a day to allow the work to be completed as safely and quickly as possible.

Noise and vibration from the cable laying activities, including equipment and vehicular movements, have the potential for short-term impacts, but this will be controlled and kept to a minimum. To manage these, standard construction methodologies are to be employed to control noise and vibration in accordance with current legislation and standards including British Standard 5228-1:2014 for noise and vibration control, which include:

• Predicting and assessing construction noise levels
• Using quieter or electrically powered plant when possible
• Using noise-compliant equipment and acoustic screens where required
• Limiting noisy activities to core working hours unless agreed with local authorities

Due to the 24-hour working period required to complete the cable-laying activities as safely and efficiently as possible, Boskalis, the contractor responsible for these works, sought and received consent from Flintshire County Council under Section 61 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

The Noise and Vibration Management Plan can be viewed in the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP), which is available here.

Talacre Beach will remain open to the public throughout the works. Access along the foreshore between Station Road and the dunes will be maintained where it is safe and practical to do so. Where this is not possible, temporary diversions will be arranged for pedestrians.

Access to the Public Right of Way at the top of Talacre Beach, along the base of the sand dunes, will be restricted during the cable laying works. Consistent signage (in both English and Welsh) will identify a temporary diversion through Talacre Dunes during this period.

During construction, there will also be some reductions to public parking at Talacre Beach car park.

Phase One of construction for the PoA Cable Route Foreshore Works took place from February to April 2026, by our principal contractor, Boskalis.

Phase Two is expected to take place from August to late October 2026, subject to project progress.

Along the base of the sand dunes, public access will be restricted during cable laying works. Consistent signage (in both English and Welsh) will identify a temporary diversion through Talacre Dunes during this period and provide relevant safety information and project updates to the public.

Temporary screens will be positioned around the boundary of the development to help reduce the visual impact to beach users and to protect people walking nearby from any dust. During Phase 2, visitors to Talacre Beach and nearby coastal areas may notice construction activity both on the beach and offshore. The cable laying vessel Ndurance and associated support vessels will be visible in Liverpool Bay and within the Welsh Channel during cable installation activities.

This offshore presence will be temporary and is required to safely install and bury the cable. Once construction is complete, all temporary vessels and equipment will leave the area and no visible infrastructure will remain on the beach or seabed. All equipment, including temporary fencing, screens and signage, will be removed on completion of the works. On the beach, the cable will be covered by sand, and any remaining equipment will be removed. This means that there will be no visible infrastructure on the beach when construction is complete.

Further information can be found in the planning documents available on our website:

• Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP)
• Noise and Vibration Management Plan
• Dust Management Plan
• Outline Construction Traffic Management Plan (OCTMP)

Following consent being granted for the Point of Ayr (PoA) Cable Route Foreshore Works by Flintshire County Council’s (FCC) planning committee in November 2025, the first phase of construction began in February 2026 and was completed in April 2026. The indicative construction schedule is:

*dates are subject to change

If you would like to receive updates about the scheme’s progress, subscribe to our regular e-newsletter here.

Any waste generated during construction will be collected and removed from site in line with UK legislation.

Boskalis is the principal contractor for the installation of the combined new underground cable from Warren Farm, under Gronant and Talacre Dunes, and across the inter-tidal area of Talacre Beach to the Mean Low Water Spring (MLWS) line.

Boskalis is a leading global marine services provider and dredging contractor, offering a unique combination of experts, vessels and services. Boskalis has over 100 years’ experience in hydraulic engineering, coastal protection and land reclamation, working in many sensitive environments globally.

Preparatory works will typically be undertaken over 12-hour shifts, 7 days per week. However, some cable installation activities must take place within specific tidal windows and will require 24-hour working to allow the works to be completed safely and efficiently. Due to the potential for congestion in the summer season, it could also be necessary for the construction team to undertake equipment logistics during early mornings or late nights when the area is less congested for safety reasons.

The period of 24-hour working on the beach is expected to last approximately 5-6 days, but this could be longer due to the nature of the work.

During these periods, residents and visitors may notice increased site activity, construction lighting, vessel lighting and specialist vessels operating offshore. Some temporary increases in noise and minor vibration may also be experienced in the vicinity of the works. Measures will be in place to minimise disruption wherever practicable.

Due to this requirement, Boskalis, the contractor responsible for these works, sought and received consent from Flintshire County Council under Section 61 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

Lighting will be used during construction for specific tasks at the lowest level necessary for safety, it will not be used continuously. The exception to this is during the cable laying activities which require 24-hour working. Control and mitigation measures will be followed throughout the works to reduce unnecessary glare and light spill.

Using a combination of a plough and excavators, the cable will be buried at a depth of 2 to 3 metres.

Phase 2 will begin with the construction of a temporary cable route corridor (roller highway) across Talacre beach, after which the cable will be brought ashore by the cable laying vessel (CLV) close to the MLWS and connected to the shore pull wire.

The cable will then be pulled across the cable highway to the HDD exit point and guided through the underground conduit to the HDD entry pit. On the beach and intertidal area, the cable will be installed in short, controlled sections using tracked excavators. Each section will be excavated, the cable positioned and then backfilled using the excavated material to ensure disturbance is temporary, localised and progressively reinstated.

During this stage of the works, members of the public may notice the cable laying vessel “Ndurance” and supporting vessels operating offshore. These vessels will be visible from Talacre beach and sections of the surrounding coastline during the cable installation period.

On the beach and intertidal area, the cable will be buried using excavators. Further offshore, burial will continue using a plough controlled onboard the CLV. Cable installation and burial works will be undertaken within a clearly defined corridor. Disturbed sediments will remain within the working area and will naturally settle and reprofile following installation, supporting rapid seabed recovery.

The HDD Entry, Exit pits and cable route on the beach will then be reinstated, and the ground returned to its original condition, with no visible infrastructure left on the beach.

A cable laying vessel (CLV) is a specialised ship designed for installing underwater cables that support critical offshore infrastructure. They are used for laying underwater cables in a wide range of sectors, including energy and telecommunications, to connect to offshore structures. These vessels provide versatile cable laying solutions that are suitable in both shallow and deeper waters.

To avoid being near residential properties, a temporary construction compound will be located within a fenced area at Warren Farm. This will be the main compound for storage and access to the HDD Entry Pit and cable installation works.

Talacre Beach parking area will be used for access to the HDD Exit Pit and equipment will be stored on raised working platforms at the HDD exit area of the beach.

There are only a small number of construction vehicles required during construction. It is estimated that most vehicle movements will take place at the early and late stages of construction. Therefore, it is not anticipated that construction vehicles will negatively impact the condition of the roads or generate excessive traffic.

Further traffic and transport mitigation and monitoring commitments may be implemented to reduce disturbance to the community:

• Construction traffic routes have been selected to reduce traffic effects on links that would be more sensitive to changes in traffic volumes, such as those near schools.
• Where practicable, deliveries will be scheduled at times of the day to minimise disruption to the public and tourists.
• Temporary speed restrictions and traffic marshals will safely manage HGV movements.
• No road closures are planned, but there may be some reductions to public parking at Talacre Beach parking area and along Station Road during construction periods, which are still being assessed.
• Oversized or heavy vehicles that are difficult to manoeuvre into the area will be escorted by the project team to ensure public safety.

We recognise that construction activity can raise concerns locally and we are committed to minimising disruption to the local community while the project is underway.

Only a relatively small number of construction vehicles are required for the works. A range of traffic management measures are in place to reduce impacts, including selecting vehicle routes to reduce impact on traffic and avoid sensitive areas, temporary speed restrictions and the scheduling of deliveries outside of busier periods where practicable. Additionally, we undertake regular road surface sweeping to keep routes clear of any debris.

If you have concerns about specific roads or areas, we would encourage these to be reported so they can be looked into and, where appropriate, raised with the local authority.

The Point of Ayr (PoA) Cable Route Foreshore Works forms part of the LBCCS CO2 Transportation and Storage (T&S) Project to serve the wider HyNet Industrial Decarbonisation Cluster. As an important part of the T&S infrastructure, it will help to facilitate rapid reduction of carbon emissions from local industry and clean up air quality in the region using carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology by supplying the power and upgraded telecommunications needed to support the receipt and distribution of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to the storage sites.

CCS is a safe and proven technology that captures CO₂ where it is being produced and locks it away, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere, which is a major contributor to climate change.

The LBCCS T&S infrastructure will safely transport CO₂ emissions directly captured from energy-intensive industries via a pipeline and store these emissions securely in depleted natural gas reservoirs under Liverpool Bay. These technologies have the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 10 million tonnes every year by the 2030s – the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road.

Our construction programme focuses on minimising the impact on the environment, wildlife breeding periods, local community, and port movements. To achieve this, we have planned our construction programme and groundworks to avoid the breeding and/or hibernation seasons as far as is reasonably practicable to minimise disturbance to the:

• Little Tern (breeding season is between mid-April to mid-July)
• Cetti’s Warbler (breeding season is between late March to mid-April)
• Natterjack Toads (breeding season is approximately April to July)
• Great Crested Newt (hibernation season is typically October to March)

A pre-construction survey as well as ongoing surveys will be carried out at Warren Farm and the sand dunes to identify and monitor Natterjack Toads, Sand Lizards and Great Crested Newts. Should their presence be confirmed at any stage, works will cease, and the Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) will be contacted to advise on the best way to proceed.

Additionally, the targeted burial depth of the HDD conduit means disturbance to protected species and their dune habitats is not anticipated. For example, Natterjack Toads typically burrow less than 50cm deep, and Sand Lizards up to around 1m, which is shallower than the planned conduit depth.

See our Environment page for more information.

An ECoW has been appointed to support, oversee and monitor Boskalis during the works. The ECoW’s role includes, but is not limited to:

• Undertaking or overseeing pre-construction surveys for protected species
• Providing ecological advice to the contractor to ensure Boskalis staff are aware of their responsibility with regards to wildlife and sensitive habitats
• Monitoring ecological conditions to identify any constraints
• Overseeing the implementation of mitigation measures to ensure compliance with protected species legislation, licensing and commitments in the ES and Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP).

In Phase One of the project, we used a method of trenchless drilling technique called Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) to install the cables. HDD allows us to lay cables underground by drilling underneath the sand dunes, instead of digging through them. This technique avoided the removal of any sand and disturbance to the ground surface, and to the ecologically sensitive dune system. We will be excavating the HDD Exit Pit on the beach in Phase Two, but all the material will be used to backfill the Exit Pit upon completion.

We can confirm that the location of the HDD Exit Pit is below the Mean High Water Spring (MHWS) line and beyond the dune habitat, and there will be no impact on the flood defence characteristics of the dunes.

The UK is home to a range of high-hazard industries and has developed a world-class safety regulatory regime. The UK government regulates all carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, its infrastructure and its operation. The safety of the Point of Ayr (PoA) Cable Route Foreshore Works will be regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA). Both regulatory bodies have a long track record of effectively regulating safety in the UK hydrocarbon sector.

The construction will be carried out under the Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations, 2015 to ensure the highest health and safety procedures implemented during the construction phase. A Cable Specification and Installation Plan (CSIP), which demonstrates cable burial to the required depth to avoid hazards and risks, will be developed.

Following submission of a planning application under the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 1990 (as amended) to Flintshire County Council (FCC) in August 2025, the Point of Ayr (PoA) Cable Route Foreshore Works Proposed Development (“the Proposed Development”) was approved by the FCC planning committee in November 2025.

The planning application was approved by FCC’s planning committee in November 2025. LBCCS will work to discharge conditions required under the planning consent – Phase One of construction took place from February to April 2026 by our appointed principal contractor, Boskalis. Phase Two is expected to take place from August to late October 2026, subject to project progress.

We will liaise with stakeholders and stay in contact with local communities about the upcoming construction works via project updates found:

• on our project website and site and community notices;
• through our stakeholder emails;
• in stakeholder briefings to stakeholders including Llanasa Community Council and local Members;
• in our regular e-newsletter; and
• at a community information event in January 2026.

For coastal or marine developments, a Marine Licence (ML) and a planning application may both be required because they serve different legal and regulatory purposes and are issued by different authorities. The Proposed Development spans both terrestrial and marine environments, crossing the inter-tidal zone.

A planning application under the TCPA 1990 is required for the Proposed Development to cover the land-based, foreshore and inter-tidal works (down to the Mean Low Water Spring (MLWS) line) and assess impacts on land use, visual amenity and local infrastructure and communities. An ML is required for the Proposed Development to regulate and authorise the activities from the Mean High Water Spring (MHWS) line, including any seabed disturbance or marine construction.

You can view the detailed proposals, including the submitted planning application documents on our website here. You can also view the approved application by visiting FCC’s Public Access Website and searching the reference number: FUL/000705/25.

You can view the detailed proposals for the Point of Ayr (PoA) Cable Route Foreshore Works, which ran from 16 June to 14 July 2025, analysed and summarised it in the Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) report. The PAC report was submitted with the planning application, which you can view on FCC’s planning portal by searching the reference number: FUL/000705/25. It has also been published on the HyNet Hub website here, so that you can see what you told us, and understand in greater detail how we are taking that information on board.

To register for up-to-date news and information about the planning application and the project, you can subscribe to our regular e-newsletter here.

We will manage your data in line with UK Data Protection Guidelines. See how we will use and store your data here.

Detailed information on the PoA Cable Route Foreshore Works and updates on our progress can be found on our webpage: hynethub.co.uk/poa, and on our dedicated Latest News section. You may also like to receive our regular bi-monthly e-newsletter, which features the latest information on the Liverpool Bay CO₂ Transportation and Storage (T&S) infrastructure. Sign up for the e-newsletter by clicking here.

We are committed to making project information accessible to all users. If you have any specific project questions, or suggestions regarding the accessibility of this site, please email us at: hello@hynethub.co.uk or by calling 0113 395 4495.

If you have any questions or comments, please email us at: hello@hynethub.co.uk or by calling 0113 395 4495.