Our approach to consultation
We understand how important the cement and lime industry is to the region, and also how much the local environment means to the communities living in and around it.
Gaining input from a wide range of stakeholders is critically important and will help us develop a project that is able to anticipate, understand and address potential local impacts.
We want to work closely with communities and organisations to develop an approach that minimises disruption and impact, and ensures work is delivered safely and efficiently.
We will listen closely to those who are interested or may be affected by Peak Cluster to hear their thoughts, views and suggestions and let you know how your feedback has shaped our thinking.
Securing consent to deliver Peak Cluster
Peak Cluster’s onshore pipeline is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). An NSIP is regarded by the UK Government to be of such high importance that consent to construct and operate it must be granted by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Peak Cluster Ltd will therefore be required to submit a type of planning application called a Development Consent Order (or DCO).to the government’s Planning Inspectorate. The Planning Inspectorate will examine the application and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will make the final decision on whether the project can go ahead. This consenting process comes under the Planning Act 2008.
A key requirement of this process is to engage with national and local stakeholders, communities and landowners, and we take this obligation very seriously. Feedback we receive throughout each phase of consultation and engagement will enable us to refine our proposals ahead of submitting our application.
We held our phase 1 consultation from Monday 12th January to Friday 27th February 2026.
We used this consultation hub to share information and resources to help people give us their feedback on our proposals. We have left the hub live, to continue to provide access to this information. We will regularly update the Peak Cluster project website (www.peakcluster.co.uk) as the project progresses.
This first consultation phase was an important opportunity for people across the breadth of the project to help us shape our proposals as they develop. The feedback that we received during the consultation will help inform the ongoing development of the project, along with engineering and environmental studies that our teams continue to carry out. We plan to launch our phase 2 consultation on the next iteration of the project towards the end of the year.
Update on Peak Cluster consultation and additional engagement on the Wirral
We understand that the Hoylake community drop-in session held in January was very busy, and as a result not everyone who came along was able to speak directly with the project team. The turnout clearly shows how strongly people feel about what’s being proposed.
We want to gain as much information as possible from communities on the Wirral as this will play a crucial part in the development of our proposals. In response to the feedback we’ve received about the above ground installation (AGI) at the end of the Wirral, we’ll be undertaking additional engagement soon. As part of this, we’ll share the current information we have about the AGI, and answers to the common questions that have been raised. Our plans to do this include:
- A meeting with local councillors, which we’ll also use to continue to understand the concerns of the community.
- A meeting for members of the public, with multiple presentations and opportunities to ask questions throughout the day.
This activity will take place for a minimum of 4 weeks, starting in late March and we’ll provide a clear way for people to share their feedback through this consultation hub. We’ll share further information on this in due course. All additional feedback will be considered alongside that which we have received as part of our phase 1 consultation, and will be used to inform the design of the project.
What happens next
Having taken onboard this initial information and stakeholder feedback, we will develop a further iteration of the design for the project with greater detail on our proposed pipeline route, key infrastructure along the route and the capture facilities at each of the cement and lime operator sites. You will then have another opportunity to consider and provide feedback on these updated proposals as part of our phase 2 consultation, which we are starting later this year.
After this, we will set out a summary of the responses that we received in a Consultation Report, detailing how we considered all feedback and how it has shaped and influenced the proposals. Responses submitted during this initial round of consultation and our upcoming phase 2 consultation will be addressed by theme within the Consultation Report. This report will form part of our DCO application for development consent and will be published on our website following submission of our application to the Planning Inspectorate.
Our indicative timeline for the project is below.
Overview of the DCO process
