200 jobs are again in the balance at Ince in Chester. The Government backed a decision to refuse planning permission for Europe's largest glass making & bottling factory 25 Jan. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel as the Communities Minister, Ruth Kelly, indicated deficiencies in Quinn Glass' plans could be overcome. It is the latest twist in a long-running saga of the plant. Construction of Quinn's plant at Elton has only just been completed & the first of its giant 600/t furnaces was fired up last April. However, business rivals Rockware Glass took Quinn to court over the legality of the operation. Judge Andrew Gilbart QC said the company had taken a "very considerable gamble" when it invested millions in the plant without obtaining planning permission. He also condemned the Chester City Council's "unacceptable and lax" approach before it issued a permit for the plant in March. The permit had also been issued at the behest of the local authority's chief executive Paul Durham, who had "acted outside the scope of his authority", the judge ruled. A planning inspector was called in to decide the planning application. He decided to refuse it. And his decision was backed by Ms. Kelly. But the inspector and the minister both agreed a fresh application should be made, one which meets the concerns.
