A consultation on the next phase of a major pipeline set to cut through Cheshire's landscape will begin next month.

Peak Cluster is a proposed carbon capture and storage scheme which aims to transport carbon dioxide captured from four cement and lime producers in Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

The planned underground pipeline would run for around 120 to 125 miles through Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Wirral before carrying the captured carbon dioxide offshore for permanent storage beneath the Irish Sea.

Starting 12 November, the consultation will allow communities to comment on the proposed pipeline infrastructure across Cheshire, known as the project boundary, which was shared in September.

A series of events will also take place in November and December, across locations close to proposed changes to the project boundary.

Last month, updated maps revealed boundary adjustments across three key parts of Cheshire: north of Hargrave and Cotton Abbotts near Chester, southwest of Gawsworth, and southeast of Holmes Chapel.

Project organisers had adjusted about 15 percent of the overall pipeline route and narrowed the proposed construction corridor from 300 meters down to 100 meters wide in most areas.

This adjustment followed technical surveys and feedback from earlier consultations to refine the pipeline's trajectory.

The upcoming consultation - focusing on pipeline infrastructure and access layouts across Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire - will launch in November, followed by a Wirral-specific review in January.

The consultation will also invite feedback on the proposed locations of above ground installations (AGIs), block valve stations (BVSs), and temporary areas required for access and construction in most locations.

A further round of consultation on more detailed aspects of the project will follow in summer 2027.

Consultation events and webinars will be held during the consultation period, enabling people to find out more about the latest project proposals and ask questions of the project team.

The events will take place in locations close to proposed changes to the project boundary:

• Gawsworth Scout Hut, 20 November | register here
• Huxley Village Hall, 24 November | register here
• St Anne's Community Centre, Buxton 26 November | register here
• Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight, Wirral, 3 December | register here
• Holmes Chapel Community Centre, 5 December | register here
• Leek Town Football Club, 7 December | register here

Public webinars

• Staffordshire public webinar, 17 November, 6:30pm | register here
• Wirral public webinar, 23 November, 6:30pm | register here
• Cheshire public webinar, 30 November, 6:30pm | register here
• Derbyshire public webinar, 1 December, 6:30pm | register here

David Parkin, CEO of Peak Cluster Ltd, said: "Those who live, work and spend their free time in an area, know it best.

"Listening to communities and stakeholders, understanding their views and gathering local knowledge is an essential part of our approach to developing the Peak Cluster project.

"The first phase of consultation provided valuable feedback that helped us better understand local priorities. Combined with the findings of technical studies, engineering assessments and environmental surveys, this feedback has enabled us to refine the project design.

"As the plans for the project have evolved, we would now like to hear further feedback on specific elements, including the proposed route of the buried pipeline and the location of other temporary and permanent infrastructure, to help shape the next iteration of our designs."

People interested in taking part in the consultation can find out more here.

Because the project is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), it bypasses standard local planning rules.

Cheshire West and Chester Council does not have the power to approve or reject the scheme directly; instead, the final decision rests with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero via a Development Consent Order.

However, these latest modifications follow considerable local political pushback.

In April, Cheshire West and Chester Council called an extraordinary meeting and voted near-unanimously to pass a cross-party motion formally opposing the pipeline.

In a letter sent to the Secretary of State, council leader Cllr Louise Gittins clarified the council's stance was "not a rejection of climate action".

Cross-party representatives also raised ongoing concerns regarding the safety implications of transporting high-pressure CO₂ near residential areas, the lack of an independent safety framework, and the substantial disruption to Cheshire's green spaces and agricultural land.

Further objection came from Chester Zoo chief executive Jamie Christon, who described the proposed Peak Cluster pipeline's impact on the region's habitats as "unacceptable".