What this engagement is about

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How should a local poll on the Hydrogen Village trial be run?

Cheshire West and Chester Council is engaging with the community in Whitby, Ellesmere Port, to understand views on how we should run a local poll about the Hydrogen Village trial. More information about the trial is below.

Residents have asked the Council to run a local poll, to understand if those in the trial area agree or disagree with the proposals. Whitby residents have also asked to have a say in how that poll is run and what question (or questions) it will include. The poll will measure 'public support' for the trial, one of the five tests the Council is asking the gas distribution network (Cadent) and the Government to meet.

This engagement exercise is your opportunity to say how you think the local poll should be run. We are particularly interested to hear from people affected by the proposed Whitby Hydrogen Village trial. Based on your feedback, we will develop our approach to the poll, which we expect to undertake in July 2023.


Please share your views about how the poll should be run. This engagement exercise closes at 10am on Monday 5 June 2023.

We will share the results of the poll with you and Government. The Government, not the Council, will decide if the Hydrogen Village trial goes ahead. They have stated that they will only progress with the trial if there is local support. However, the poll is non-binding, and it is up to the Government to decide.


Hydrogen Village trial

To help meet the UK’s Climate Change commitments, the Government wants to trial the use of hydrogen, instead of natural gas, for heating and cooking. They have shortlisted two areas for the trial - Whitby in Ellesmere Port and Redcar in North Yorkshire. The trial will involve providing hydrogen to people’s homes for two years. The Government will decide in September, on which area, if any, will go forward.

The gas network provider for this area, Cadent, has made a proposal to Government about how the trial could work in Whitby. Cadent is proposing that people will be asked to ‘opt-in’ or ‘opt-out’ of the trial and will be offered a choice between natural gas or hydrogen for the trial period. If the trial were to go ahead, the current gas network would switch to carry hydrogen. A new gas network would be laid to provide natural gas to residents and organisations who choose to opt-out. Those selecting hydrogen will be issued with new appliance(s) for the conversion to hydrogen. Cadent has offered information about what it means for individual households and organisations.

Further information about the Hydrogen Village trial is available on the Council’s Frequently Asked Questions web page here. More information about the proposal prepared by Cadent and a map of the trial area is available on their website here.

How should a local poll on the Hydrogen Village trial be run?

Cheshire West and Chester Council is engaging with the community in Whitby, Ellesmere Port, to understand views on how we should run a local poll about the Hydrogen Village trial. More information about the trial is below.

Residents have asked the Council to run a local poll, to understand if those in the trial area agree or disagree with the proposals. Whitby residents have also asked to have a say in how that poll is run and what question (or questions) it will include. The poll will measure 'public support' for the trial, one of the five tests the Council is asking the gas distribution network (Cadent) and the Government to meet.

This engagement exercise is your opportunity to say how you think the local poll should be run. We are particularly interested to hear from people affected by the proposed Whitby Hydrogen Village trial. Based on your feedback, we will develop our approach to the poll, which we expect to undertake in July 2023.


Please share your views about how the poll should be run. This engagement exercise closes at 10am on Monday 5 June 2023.

We will share the results of the poll with you and Government. The Government, not the Council, will decide if the Hydrogen Village trial goes ahead. They have stated that they will only progress with the trial if there is local support. However, the poll is non-binding, and it is up to the Government to decide.


Hydrogen Village trial

To help meet the UK’s Climate Change commitments, the Government wants to trial the use of hydrogen, instead of natural gas, for heating and cooking. They have shortlisted two areas for the trial - Whitby in Ellesmere Port and Redcar in North Yorkshire. The trial will involve providing hydrogen to people’s homes for two years. The Government will decide in September, on which area, if any, will go forward.

The gas network provider for this area, Cadent, has made a proposal to Government about how the trial could work in Whitby. Cadent is proposing that people will be asked to ‘opt-in’ or ‘opt-out’ of the trial and will be offered a choice between natural gas or hydrogen for the trial period. If the trial were to go ahead, the current gas network would switch to carry hydrogen. A new gas network would be laid to provide natural gas to residents and organisations who choose to opt-out. Those selecting hydrogen will be issued with new appliance(s) for the conversion to hydrogen. Cadent has offered information about what it means for individual households and organisations.

Further information about the Hydrogen Village trial is available on the Council’s Frequently Asked Questions web page here. More information about the proposal prepared by Cadent and a map of the trial area is available on their website here.