Quinn Glass“s controversial glass bottle production and filling plant in Cheshire, north-west England could receive planning permission before the end of 2008, after two councils in the county said t…
Quinn Glass“s controversial glass bottle production and filling plant in Cheshire, north-west England could receive planning permission before the end of 2008, after two councils in the county said they hoped it would go before committee in December. Chester City Council and Ellesmere Port and Neston are likely to examine the third planning application for the facility at Ince in December 2008, although central government has the right to overrule the local authorities if it disagrees with the decision. The plant has been in operation since April 2005, meaning that enforcement action would need to take place by March 2009, because after four years it becomes exempt from planning laws. Rival Ardagh Glass has long maintained it should not have to compete with a plant that does not have planning permission to operate. Building work began on the former power station site in 2003 on the basis of existing planning permission for a smaller plant, while a new application was made. The Department for Communities and Local Government rejected the second application in January 2007, but invited the Northern Ireland-based firm to apply again. Quinn initially challenged the government“s decision, although it has since withdrawn the challenge, and made a new application in March 2008. The plant“s estimated annual production is estimated at 1.2 billion containers. The bottling facility can process 400 bottles of wine, or 1,000 bottles of beer, per minute. It employs 560 people.