Eastham oil re-refinery meeting rescheduled to give parties 'more time to prepare'

Hydrodec Group wants to develop a re-refinery plant at Eastham Locks on land next to the QE2 Dock and the Nustar terminal, and is currently preparing a planning application with consultants Indigo Planning.

The company said the plant would re-introduce of base oil to Wirral and would be the new home of its European headquarters.

If approved, work will take approximately 12-18 months to complete the first phase of the development and the plan is for the plant to be operational by the end of 2016.

The plant will create jobs for around 40 people including office workers, shift workers, security staff and roles of a specialist nature.

If approved, MSC Eastham's football pitch will be moved to upgraded facilities at a site in Bromborough Pool, approximately two miles north of the site.

A public exhibition of the proposals was held at Eastham Golf Club in February, where residents raised a number of concerns, including how close the site was to homes on nearby Seaview Avenue.

A presentation and question and answer session was due to be held at St David’s URC church hall on Crosthwaite Avenue, Eastham, on Thursday but members of the Eastham Fights Back campaign group have since been informed of its cancellation.

Local councillor Chris Carubia said Hydrodec sent out 1,300 letters informing residents about the meeting at a venue which can only hold 250 people.

Places were on a first-come-first-served basis and questions had to be pre-submitted.

Cllr Carubia said: “I think Hydodec have cancelled the meeting because they totally misgauged the feeling of the populous of Eastham.”

A letter sent to residents this week - penned by Iain Lees, head of Hydrodec Europe Re-refining - said: “Following our initial consultation with residents and other stakeholders in February 2015, Hydrodec is intent on reviewing all available options for the proposed development of a re-refinery at QE2 Dock.

“We have received a number of comments, suggestions and questions from residents. We have also received representations that suggest all parties would benefit from more time to gather their thoughts and prepare.

Artist's impression of the proposed oil re-refinery in Eastham. Picture: Hydrodec Group

“Please be assured that we are fully committed to this event and our engagement with the residents of Eastham. We will, therefore, write to residents again with details of the rescheduled event.”

A petition called “Eastham says no to the Hydrotec oil refinery” has now reached 1,443 signatures.

It raises concerns over safety and claims that the development – planned for a site less than half a mile from Eastham Country Park – is “ completely at odds with the local area”.

In a statement on its website, Hydrodec Group said: "We considered various potential sites in the UK for the new re-refinery. We selected Eastham for a number of reasons.

"In particular, the Eastham Port facility and the site’s easy access to the motorway provides good transport links by river and by road, whilst ensuring that our trucks will never need to drive through local villages.

"The availability of the Nustar storage facility next door also means that the size of the new plant can be kept to a minimum.

"Locating the plant at Eastham means that we can provide jobs to the local talent pool that already live in and around the area.

"We are also keen to create opportunities for young people by developing apprentice programme.”

Promises have also been made that trucks will not drive through Eastham Village, with routes identified to cause the “least disruption to local residents”.

For more information on the plans, visit qe2docks.com or to sign the petition, click here.