Public meeting over Scunthorpe steelworks blast furnace plans

British Steel wants to shut two coke blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe steelworks

A meeting will be held to discuss plans to replace blast furnaces at Scunthorpe steelworks.

British Steel announced it would be building an electric arc furnace (EAF) as part of its decarbonisation plans.

Unions claim the move could cost up to 2,000 jobs and would bring to an end the UK's ability to produce some steel products.

North Lincolnshire Council has organised the meeting along with local Conservative MP Holly Mumby-Croft.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, council leader Rob Waltham said the authority was working with the government "to protect jobs and steel making in Scunthorpe".

"We are continuing to work with British Steel to develop 300-acres of surplus land at the steelworks to harness new technology and create green jobs," he said.

"Master planning is underway to attract high-paid and high-skilled jobs to the area - using new technologies to create green industry.

"There is a massive opportunity to create something new, attracting innovative technology companies here to Scunthorpe on an underdeveloped site of industrial heritage. At the same time as working on this plan we continue to do all we can to protect jobs on the Scunthorpe site."

British Steel intends to replace Scunthorpe's coke blast furnaces with one EAF at its steelworks and another in Teesside.

The company has previously said the £1.25bn investment would transform it into "a green and sustainable company".

"We firmly believe electrification will provide a rapid and sustainable solution to our decarbonisation challenge in addition to providing support for sustainable employment," the firm added.

Unions claim up to 2,000 jobs could be lost if the plan goes ahead

An application document has indicated British Steel anticipate the Scunthorpe EAF to be operational by December 2025.

The blast furnaces would remain in use until Scunthorpe's EAF is fully operational.

Unions have held a series of protests in the town.

During a Unite rally in February, Martin Foster, a trade union convener at the plant, said workers "understand the need to go green".

"We understand the need to make environmentally friendly steel," said Mr Foster.

"But there are different ways of doing it. It's that there isn't just the electric furnace."

The planning meeting will be held on 30 April at Church Square House at 14:00 BST.