South Staffordshire parish facing seven separate proposals for battery energy storage systems
Community leaders have said a South Staffordshire parish is being “plundered” as it faces seven separate battery energy storage site proposals.
South Staffordshire Council’s planning committee has considered several applications for battery energy storage systems (BESS) during the past year.
Three BESS applications have been approved for Lower Penn – and there are a further three awaiting a decision, Lower Penn Parish Council has said. On Tuesday (June 17), South Staffordshire Council considered two separate BESS proposals for sites in Orton, near Wombourne, and land off The Roughs, at Dimmingsdale.
The application for land off Flash Lane, Orton, was approved by just one vote. But committee members agreed to defer their decision on the Dimmingsdale proposal, in Lower Penn, to go on a site visit first.
Steve McEwen, chair of Lower Penn Parish Council, described the proposed 100MW BESS as a “monster” at Tuesday’s meeting. He added: “We urge you to defer this decision to allow much more careful review and assessment – we need more time
“It will impose huge detrimental changes to the community of Lower Penn. This technology is still at an early stage of development – consequently, risks and safety are in question.
“Congestion is very serious in Lower Penn, just having 500 metres between these installations is so tight. We’re being plundered in Lower Penn.”
Ward councillor Victoria Wilson also highlighted the number of BESS applications proposed for the area. She said: “Lower Penn is a tiny hamlet situated between Wombourne and Wolverhampton – it’s so small it doesn’t even possess a corner shop and there are just shy of 400 properties in this rural village and around 900 residents.
“As of this moment, there have been no fewer than seven applications for BESS within Lower Penn. No other village in the whole of South Staffordshire has been the target of so many BESS applications.
“I understand each application must be judged by its own merits. However, I believe that to do this in this case, BESS sites will spring up all over Lower Penn, remaining here for the next 40 to 50 years, and the residents of this rural village will have no choice but to accept them.”
The application has been recommended for approval by council planning officers. David Pickford from applicant Elgin Energy said on Tuesday: “There are no objections from a wide range of statutory and non-statutory consultees relating to the principle of the proposed development and technical matters.
“The proposed facility will increase much-needed battery storage capacity in the UK in an optimal and very well-screened location near to an existing substation with capacity and agreement already in place to connect. This will assist to decarbonise the energy grid, which will contribute towards meeting climate change and emission reduction targets at international, national and local levels, as well as assisting in ensuring local energy security.
“The proposed development provides suitable landscape and acoustic mitigation, including a four metre high acoustic fence, and new tree and hedgerow planting, along with appropriate safety measures and drainage strategy. The site is located within the grey belt and does not comprise inappropriate development in the green belt.
“The site (is) located away from higher quality Grade 2 agricultural land which surrounds Penn Substation, whilst within a viable distance to provide a secure grid connection. The proposal will cause no adverse harm to existing trees, heritage assets, protected species or the local highway network, and there would also be no adverse harm to the amenity of local residents, with acoustic fencing able to be suitably screened by proposed landscaping after a minimum of 6.5 years.”
