New battery plant approved despite fire concerns

A new battery storage power station is set to be built in Slimbridge despite fire-safety and traffic concerns.

The 36-megwatt battery storage facility, along with a 132kV transformer have been approved for land near Kingston Road.

The Wildlife and Wetland Trust and Slimbridge Parish Council objected to the plans, saying a fire could cause toxic fumes and pose a risk to the area's 3,500 daily visitors.

Developers Relay Slimbridge Ltd told Stroud District Council "a robust ecological report" had been conducted, and an evacuation plan would be agreed with fire experts.

The development will cover about two acres (8,093 sq m) in the corner of an eight-acre site (32,374 sq m), on land north-east of Kingston Road, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Ward councillor Lindsey Green said the small roads around the area already sees significant traffic.

"Access to the site is precarious. We have Wildlife and Wetland Trust Slimbridge within a very short distance of the site and they alone are a world renowned tourist attraction that can host up to 2,600 visitors in a day.

“Add that to the 120 pitch caravan park that could potentially have 500 to 800 people at any one time, the Tudor Arms pub and the Black Shed, each hosting 100 or 200 people, if not more a day each," she said.

Gary Haseley-Nejrup, from the Wildlife and Wetland Trust said the unit "poses a significant fire risk".

“It remains unclear how we would be able to evacuate up to 2,500 visitors and staff from the centre in the event of such a fire or the resultant cloud of toxic fumes," he told the development control committee on Tuesday.

Joe Bennett of RCA Regeneration Limited, agent for the applicant, told the meeting that a robust ecological report and five months worth of bird surveys were conducted on the site.

“There have been a hundred of these installations in the UK over the last 18 years and just one incident.

“That led to no injury, no property damage, no environmental impact and no toxic gas. These are not e-bike batteries." he said.

The committee voted to approve the plans by ten votes in favour with two abstentions.

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