Stop the PRI near Gloucester!

The FIGHT THE PIPE myspace is now the official website of the campaign as www.fightthepipe.co.uk got deleted/lost. Please check out the new look and leave a comment if you support the cause :)

The FACEBOOK group has been updated, this group that has been silent for far too long. Please join and get your friends to join if you support the cause and please get involved :)

What is really needed is interested individuals and groups to come together and discuss how to get involved in stopping this project and give support to others trying to do the same.

The aim of the protest was first started to raise awareness for the campaign to halt the progress of a monster 200 mile gas pipeline across Wales. The pipeline is now laid and the protest is now more focused on stopping gas pressure reduction installation (PRI) being built near Gloucester. If we can stop this installation being built the pipeline will have to run at a lower pressure thus making it safer.

Here is the PRI Factsheet from National Grid that details their plans. This will now be revised as they did not get planning permission for the installation.

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Taken from the BBC 02/02/10:

Plans for a gas plant in rural Gloucestershire have been thrown out by planning councillors.

National Grid planned to build the facility, which would be part of a ring handling 20% of the nation's gas, at Tirley, near Tewkesbury.

There had been fierce opposition to the scheme from some locals who feared the open countryside would be ruined.

After a visit to the site, Tewkesbury borough councillors agreed and the scheme was unanimously rejected.

National Grid said the planned plant was vital to complete a 200-mile pipeline scheme to carry gas from its terminal at Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire.

'National importance'

A company spokesman said: "Clearly as a company we are very disappointed with the decision.

"The secretary of state has previously confirmed the really compelling need for this installation. It's of national importance for our gas supplies.

"We need to look very carefully now at the reasons Tewkesbury borough council give for turning down our application before we can work out what our way forward is."

The protesters against the plans praised the council's decision with one man calling it "fantastic".

"It's right morally, economically and environmentally," he said.

Last year, plans to site this installation at nearby Corse were rejected and the Tirley site was selected as an alternative.

The Tirley plan, which would include a dozen 28ft high chimneys, attracted 986 letters of objection.

Planning officers had recommended that the scheme was approved, saying the national need for such a facility outweighed any environmental damage.

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Thanks for reading :) xoxox

Comments

Anonymous said…
A short while ago, we had headlines about the lack of gas and factories being shut down.
The problem wasn't the lack of gas, but the fact that more and more people, over 26 million homes, are connected to the National Grid and the existing pipes cannot cope with the demand.
Surely in a democracy the majorities welfare should be more of a consideration than the rural views of less than a thousand people. How many homes overlook the site? Would not a few trees solve the view problem?
Sam Van Dweller said…
It not just the pipes that cannot cope it is earths natural resources. The pipeline has cost £800 million with a further £6 billion being spent on the terminals at Milford Haven, wouldn't that money be better spent on renewable energy projects? The Health & Safety Executive have promised a hole will appear in the pipe within 30 years and gas is set to run out in 60 years. Then people will ask why a company was allowed to destroy historically rich and ecologically diverse landscapes for such a short lived project. We can solve our energy needs and climate change by adopting energy efficiency measures. In this light such massive investments in wasteful technology is absurd and distracts us from the need to create long term renewable solutions.
Also democracy isn't always that fair... if 51% wanted the PRI that leaves 49% of people very unhappy. Nearly half the whole population :(
Anonymous said…
Nevertheless the pipe line has been built and billions of $ have been spent World wide and in Milford Haven to deliver this gas to us.
Over the past years there have been vast changes in the way gas is recovered, and currently the USA, Russia and Australia are all developing new sources and exporting.
Even Ireland who rely on us for their gas, are developing new supplies off their West coast. If it hadn't been for the Isle of Grain and Milford Haven Great Britain and Europe would have run out of gas over the past two winters.
What do you stand to gain by blocking this scheme?
Sam Van Dweller said…
From research I have done I have found there are very serious safety concerns over such a large high pressure pipeline running so close to houses. From what I understand if plans for the PRI are blocked National Grid will have to run the pipeline at a lower pressure (as it is now) and use the current installation near Tirley.
I also want to highlight this case so any future projects like this are met with more opposition as I firmly believe we need to stop draining the earths resources and start serious investment in renewable solutions.