Controversial Quinn Glass plant set for planning permission

Quinn Glass's controversial glass bottle production and filling plant could receive planning permission before the end of the year, after two Cheshire councils said they hoped it would appear before committee next month.

Chester City Council and Ellesmere Port and Neston are likely to examine the third planning application for the Ince facility in December, 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 next March, because after four years it becomes exempt from planning laws.

Rival firm Ardagh Glass has long maintained it should not have to compete with a plant that does not have planning permission to operate.

Construction began on the site of the former power station in 2003, on the basis of existing planning permission for a smaller factory, while a fresh 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Quinn initially challenged the government's decision – it has since withdrawn the challenge – and made a new application last March. The firm was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

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.