Battery storage site approved in green belt field

A battery storage site to provide energy at times of high demand has been approved in Surrey.

Runnymede’s planning committee approved the plans on Wednesday for a field near the River Wey in Addlestone.

The land is in the green belt, where "very special circumstances" must be demonstrated in order to approve planning applications.

The applicant said the development would form part of a proposal to export renewable energy to the National Grid for up to 30 years.

A Runnymede council spokesman said: "Committee members noted the alignment with the council’s climate change objectives, and considered that a case of very special circumstances had been demonstrated."

The purpose of the battery energy storage system is to provide standby, emergency electricity for the National Grid in times of high electricity demand or when renewable energy projects are unable to fulfil demand, planning documents said.

It connects to the local electricity network and stores energy at times of high supply and releases it when there is high demand.

Earlier in September, an application for a similar facility was granted by Tandridge District Council in green belt land in the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, off the A22 in Caterham.

Two parish councils raised objections to the application, with Jenny Gaffney, planning committee chairwoman on Caterham Valley Parish Council, raising concerns on what it might mean for the site's future.

She said: "This was a green belt land site and with the erection of the structures, it could now be considered grey belt land, therefore making it a potential site for future development."

Tandridge officers said the applicant had presented a case of "very special circumstances", considered to clearly outweigh the harm of building in the greenbelt and therefore within policy requirements.

Neil Brooks, managing director at Root-Power, the company behind the Caterham site, said he was "delighted" the site could be live as soon as 2025.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, and on X. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.