Welsh carbon capture plant delayed after English communities left out of consultation

Flintshire County Council has deferred a decision on the £200m carbon capture extension at the Parc Adfer waste-to-energy plant in Connah's Quay. The reason: communities in England, including Burton, Shotwick and Puddington, were not consulted, even though some are closer to the site than parts of the Welsh town it sits in. Councillors voted to delay the application so cross-border residents can have their say. The project would process 232,000 tonnes of waste a year and capture up to 95% of CO2, with the captured carbon sent via the Hynet pipeline for storage in the Irish Sea. It is considered important for Wales' carbon budget. But the late objections and the consultation gap show that public trust and planning process are as critical as the technology itself.