LOSTOCK Gralam residents are invited to an information day next week as part of a new consultation on gas storage plans.

Keuper Gas Storage Limited has launched a statutory consultation on proposals to build and operate an underground gas storage facility in Cheshire.

The scheme would involve using specially-designed underground salt cavities to store natural gas.

The consultation runs from October 2 until November 27, and as part of the exercise Keuper Gas Storage Limited is holding another round of information days this month.

They include an event being held at Lostock Gralam Community Centre on Tuesday, October 14, from 2pm to 8pm.

Other events are taking place at the same time at Byley Village Hall on October 16, Lach Dennis Village Hall on October 20, Whitley Village Hall on October 21 and the Pavilions Club in Runcorn on October 23.

“We are holding further information days during October, and hope local residents will take the opportunity to view the revised plans,” said Greg Stewart, director for INEOS Enterprises.

“The project would help secure a flexible supply of energy in the UK as well as providing investment and jobs for Cheshire.”

Keuper Gas Storage Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of INEOS Enterprises Group Limited.

Earlier this year local people were encouraged to have their say on the proposals as part of a non-statutory, informal consultation.

Information days and a stakeholder workshop were held in May and June to seek feedback from residents and stakeholders.

Since then the feedback has been assessed by the project team and compiled into an interim consultation report, which can be downloaded at www.kgsp.co.uk.

The majority of the planned development would take place within the Holford Brinefield, which will include all of the proposed gas storage cavities.

Other smaller aspects of the development will include two brine tanks on the Lostock Works site and the refurbishment of the existing Whitley Pumping station.

At Runcorn the development would involve extending an existing pipeline located at the main INEOS ChlorVinyls site.

Construction work is scheduled to start in 2017, and gas storage could begin from 2020.

The development would create 30 jobs once operational, along with more than 300 during construction.

Residents can submit their views via email at info@kgsp.co.uk, by post at Freepost RSKS-SBBE-LHHK, Keuper Gas Storage Project, c/o PPS Group, Hanover House, 30-32 Charlotte Street, Manchester, M1 4FD, or by completing the feedback form at www.kgps.co.uk.