TNEI’s specialist Environment and Consents team has achieved another successful planning consent for a hydrogen car refuelling station, this time in Abergavenny in Wales.
Riversimple, a car manufacturer of hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles based in Wales, approached TNEI to assist with the planning and environmental inputs to install and operate a hydrogen refuelling station designed specifically for their bespoke hydrogen fuelled car “ the Rasa. As a leading consultant in delivering environmental and planning advice for hydrogen refuelling stations, TNEI guided Riversimple through the site feasibility, site design and planning application production process.
Sites across the town of Abergavenny were considered and their feasibility assessed for the development of a hydrogen refuelling station. The bus station site was found to be the most appropriate given land availability and its strategic location adjacent to the A40 (a major thoroughfare in Abergavenny). Likely environmental effects of the development were assessed and found to be acceptable in this location. Early discussions with the local planning authority ensured the council was aware of the scheme throughout the process and was able to input recommendations in line with local planning policy. TNEI’s dedicated Developer Support team, which includes civil engineering capability, utilised the information gathered to produce a functional site design which was sympathetic to the local surroundings. TNEI supported in undertaking a detailed risk assessment to accompany the planning application to satisfy the Environmental Health Officer, as well as planning officers that the site would be safe for members of the public to use. This involved a HazOp exercise with Riversimple to ensure any potential hazards associated with the operation of the site were correctly identified, quantified and controlled, ensuring risks were reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). TNEI’s Chartered Town Planners and Chartered Environmentalists then produced all necessary reports and plans to be submitted to the council to result in this consent.
Chartered Town Planner, Liz Russell of TNEI noted that “Given the location of this project in a public bus station we encountered different challenges with the design of this site in terms of health and safety. It is great to see our careful work has paid off and resulted in a consented project. I hope to see more refuelling stations being rolled out across Wales in the coming years to support Riversimple’s growing car industry “ these are exciting times for the hydrogen economy!”
TNEI is working to deliver low carbon transport projects across various stages, including planning, consenting, forecasting and comprehensive studies. Vehicle transportation has a severe impact on global climate change and TNEI aims to assist on projects which find sustainable and viable solutions to accelerate the UK’s move towards a low carbon economy.
To find out more about our low carbon transport services, visit our low carbon transport page or call 0191 211 1400.
