Battery energy storage facility gets go-ahead

A battery energy storage site will be built near Halifax after plans for the facility were given the go-ahead.

The site will be constructed on land north west of Ashgrove Cottage at Binns Top Lane, Southowram, after Calderdale Council approved Sandbrook Capital BES Ltd's application.

Councillors heard it was the first such application to come before the authority's planning committee and they were told the majority of public comments received were in support of the plans.

At a meeting on Tuesday, councillors unanimously agreed to approve the facility, which would be in place for 40 years, subject to conditions.

A report considered by members of the planning committee said: "Virtually all of the supporting representations were received through a lobby group identified as 'Your Shout'.

"They approached neighbours in the Town, Skircoat and Elland wards, including residents close to the site."

The report added: "There is no reason not to take account of these representations like any other forms of representations received."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the committee was told that although the 311,000 sq ft (2.89 hectare) site was on green belt land, under recent national policy guideline changes it could be classified as "grey belt".

This meant that as long as it met certain criteria, the development was not considered inappropriate.

The facility was approved after lengthy questioning of planning officers and the agent for the applicant about safety aspects relating to potential fires and water supply used to contain them.

The agent told councillors the technology within the battery systems, including fire suppression systems used, had developed greatly in recent years.

Councillors also heard that the applicant, John Sawbridge, had spoken at length with fire authorities about the development.

The meeting was told that no-one else in the surrounding area would be impacted by a potential fire because it was in an isolated location.

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