Plans for jumbo tissue manufacturing plant in Yorkshire binned

CGI of the now-abandoned plans for the Metsä Tissue facility in Goole

Proposals for a 3m sq ft facility on the 211-acre site were approved in September of this year.

The scheme was first announced in 2023 and was heralded as an investment of “several hundred million pounds”.

The mill had been expected to reach a production capacity of 240,000 tonnes of tissue paper per year, with the potential to increase the UK’s self-sufficiency by over 30% in the manufacture of tissue products.

Yorkshire-based developer Wykeland Group, which holds the long-term development for the site, labelled the decision a “disappointment”.

Wykeland managing director Dominic Gibbons said: “Metsä Tissue has decided not to proceed with this development following the substantial amount of work, over the past three years, by ourselves and other stakeholders.

“However, the site now has full planning consent for 3m sq ft of manufacturing and high-bay warehousing space, and benefits from attractive Freeport financial incentives, so it offers a very appealing investment proposition.”

He added the group was already in talks with potential new partners for the development.

Tobias Lüning, senior vice-president (commercial) and managing director of Metsä Tissue, said: “Since announcing our plans in 2023,we have worked closely with the local community, businesses and authorities across East Riding of Yorkshire to bring the tissue mill project in Goole to life.

“However, after extensive pre-engineering, permitting processes and financial evaluations, we have decided not to proceed with the project.”