A CEMENT works site based in Flintshire plans to pipe 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year into the sea in a bid to tackle climate change.

Hanson UK's £400million Carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at its Padeswood plant will capture carbon dioxide produced during cement manufacture before it enters the atmosphere, transporting it by pipeline, and storing it safely under the seabed.

It intends to capture 800,000 tonnes of CO2 a year, the equivalent of taking 320,000 cars off the road.

The move would make it the first carbon capture-enabled cement works in the UK, which could play a vital role in helping the UK reach its net-zero targets.

The scheme is expected to protect 222 jobs, and create 54 new, full-time highly-skilled roles, as well as 350 additional jobs during construction.

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Hanson has said it wants the carbon capture facility to be operational by 2027.

Back in March, the plans moved a step closer to becoming a reality when it reached the diligence and negotiation phase.

A statement on the project's website reads: "We are excited to begin work on this project and aim to have it operational in 2027. We require planning consent and environmental permits to bring this project to fruition, and as part of this will be engaging with local people to understand their views and allow them to have their say.

"As this project develops, we will be sure to keep you informed on our progress. We will also be updating this page on a regular basis.

"Earlier this year, we held our non-statutory consultation, where we presented our plans at public events and online, and invited feedback on them.

"This has now closed, but there will be further opportunities to feedback on our proposed development later in the year."

Hanson is one of several companies chosen by the UK government to progress plans for carbon-reducing solutions as part of the HyNet project.

It would see CO2 pumped from companies in the north-west of England and north Wales and locked into depleted gas fields under the sea bed in Liverpool Bay using a huge network of pipes.

Under the new plans, carbon would be captured in a new facility built on fields next to the plant before being pumped through to HyNet's pipe network out to sea.

Its parent company, Heidelberg Materials, would fund the £400m project and is negotiating with the UK government on how it would be paid for the carbon it captures.