Project Type: Blue Hydrogen Production
Status: DCO Examination Closed – Awaiting Decision (Aug 2025)

Overview

H2Teesside, led by BP, is a pioneering low carbon hydrogen production facility set to become one of the largest of its kind in the UK. The project will produce around 160,000 tonnes of low carbon hydrogen per year, displacing natural gas use among Teesside’s industrial emitters and capturing approximately 2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually for long-term storage. It forms a key component of the UK’s decarbonisation strategy and contributes to establishing Teesside as a national hydrogen hub.

H2Teesside, led by bp, is set to become one of the UK’s largest low-carbon hydrogen production facilities. Aiming to produce up to 1.2 GW of blue hydrogen by 2030, it would deliver more than 10% of the UK government’s 10 GW hydrogen production target for that year. The project is designed to displace natural gas use among Teesside’s industrial emitters, while capturing and storing around 2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually. It forms a key component of the UK’s decarbonisation strategy and contributes to establishing Teesside as a national hydrogen hub, supporting the region’s role in the transition to net zero.

The project is being delivered through the Development Consent Order (DCO) regime due to its scale and national significance. Ardent was appointed as the land consultancy partner to deliver all statutory land referencing services required to support the application.

Our Role

Land Referencing & Data Management

• Delivered the full land referencing process in line with DCO requirements under the Planning Act 2008.
• Accurately identified all parties with an interest in land affected by the proposed development using a combination of land registry, local authority, and site intelligence sources.
• Maintained a secure and auditable GIS-linked land referencing database to support stakeholder management and statutory consultation.

Serving of Statutory Notices

• Drafted and served all required statutory notices, including Section 42, Section 56 and Section 57 notices, ensuring procedural compliance and auditable delivery.
• Coordinated service tracking and document returns, working closely with BP and legal advisors to meet pre-application and examination deadlines.

Application Document Preparation

• Prepared the Book of Reference, Land Plans, Crown Land Plans and Special Category Land Plans in accordance with PINS guidance and legal requirements.
• Ensured that all documents were legally robust, accurately referenced, and aligned with the application boundary and DCO drafting.

Outcomes

• The DCO application for H2Teesside progressed smoothly through the pre-application and examination phases, with the examination closing in early 2025.
• Our work ensured that BP had a legally sound and examination-ready land referencing submission, enabling a focused inquiry on project benefits and environmental impacts.
• Ardent’s methodical and compliant delivery contributed to minimising land-related risks to the consenting process.

Conclusion

Our involvement in H2Teesside highlights Ardent’s expertise in managing the land referencing process for complex energy infrastructure projects. By combining technical accuracy with procedural rigour, we played a key role in progressing one of the UK’s most strategically important hydrogen projects.

As the UK moves toward a low-carbon future, we are proud to be supporting projects that drive regional growth, support new industries, and deliver on net zero ambitions.