A DRINK giant’s plan for the first ever green hydrogen-powered brewery has run into an objection over potentially blocking a public footpath.

The Magor Net Zero scheme beside the Budweiser Brewing Group’s plant would see ground-mounted solar panels, a wind turbine, hydrogen electrolysers, hydrogen and energy storage and infrastructure and cabling.

Because the development beside the M4 would produce up to 20MW of renewable energy, it constitutes a ‘Development of National Significance’ (DNS) and has to be assessed by Planning Inspectorate Wales who will make a recommendation to Welsh Ministers on planning permission.

Green energy group Protium have allied with BBG for the £100m scheme, which was recently put out for consultation on environmental factors.

And Monmouthshire Council’s path’s officer has now flagged up concerns about the development blocking a public right of way.

Adam Foote said: “The applicant’s attention should be brought to Public Footpath 90 in the community of Magor with Undy which runs within the site of the proposed development, marked as Electrolyser Site…

“The location plan should be resubmitted including detail of the public rights of way crossing and adjoining the site and identifying how any adverse impacts affecting them and relating to the development will be mitigated.”

He says the existing public right of way “could be obstructed by the development”, and a path order application would be required to move the right of way from its legal alignment.

“Importantly path orders are not guaranteed to succeed, they are publicly consultable and subject to legal tests,” he adds.

Any works in the meantime must keep the path “open and free for use by the public at all times” unless a temporary traffic prohibition order is obtained.

The brewery is one of the largest in the UK, and if successful, the scheme would represent the first project where green hydrogen is used to make beer.

A Magor Net Zero spokesperson said: “The project will involve the construction of a Hydrogen Production Facility (HPF) to support the brewery site near Junction 23a of the M4.

“The hydrogen produced will be used to fuel the brewery’s production, as well as its key logistics assets including Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and forklift trucks.

“The use of green hydrogen technology will help to provide zero carbon power and fuel for all its operations, bringing emissions close to net zero.

“The project reaffirms Budweiser Brewing Group’s long-term commitment to the site as a significant local employer.

“The facility will save approximately 15,500 tonnes of CO2 per year from 2027, equating to the removal of roughly 3,300 cars from UK roads or 12,000 long haul flights per year.”

Budweiser’s existing wind turbine at Magor brewery is already helping it achieve its 100 per cent renewables goal.

The turbine is believed to be the tallest to enter commercial operation on UK soil, with blade tips reaching a height of 150 metres and sweep an area equivalent of two Wembley football pitches.

Budweiser has also signed a 15-year deal with NextEnergy Solar Fund to use electricity generated by two solar farms, which was the largest privately funded solar deal in British history at the time.

Earlier this year, the brewery pledged to create 50 new jobs after planners gave the go ahead for a new two-storey building with 10,015 sq m of floorspace.