Huge battery compound ‘essential’ in reducing bills and stopping blackouts refused

Councilors have refused permission for a battery complex in the countryside north of Bristol, described as “vital” in reducing bills and preventing blackouts. For the second time, they decided that protecting open rural areas from development should take priority over battery plans.

Immersa, the company behind the controversial plans at Earthcott Farm in South Gloucestershire, has threatened to challenge the decision legally. Representatives said their 200-megawatt batteries would protect schools and hospitals from blackouts.

The decision was made by South Gloucestershire Council’s land-use planning committee on Thursday, June 20. The committee heard for the first time from local residents and councilors about their concerns.

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Marion Reeve, of Alveston Parish Council, said: “Do we really want large amounts of the country to become wind farms, solar farms and now battery farms? Lithium explosions are very dangerous. Nuclear is also known to be dangerous – the difference with this project is that the nuclear plants are not built in a field behind the houses where the people of Earthcott live. It’s absolutely terrifying to have something like that so close.”

She also raised concerns about the risk of fire from overheating batteries. But experts from Avon Fire and Rescue were consulted on the planning application and told the council they were happy the battery assembly would be built, with adequate fire safety measures in place.

Sian Griffiths, representing Immersa, said: “This development would provide energy security to the 300,000 people in South Gloucestershire by protecting their electricity supply in the event of a grid failure. This proposal includes 200 megawatts of storage capacity, enough to power homes in South Gloucestershire and Stroud for six hours. This project will protect schools, homes, hospitals and emergency services from power outages on the wider grid.

“It’s not just about net zero. Gas-fired generators using expensive imported natural gas have driven up energy bills massively over the past two years. Battery storage helps reduce energy bills by undercutting these expensive generators and maximizing the use of low-cost renewable energy, crucial in this cost-of-living crisis.”

However, the committee decided to refuse permission because the complex was to be built on the Green Belt, a protected area of ​​the countryside. A separate committee also refused permission for the same plans last month on similar grounds.

Tory councilor Liz Brennan said: “We have to find the balance with this and the Green Belt. I think we need to create a better policy on this, otherwise we’re going to keep getting these sites that are probably going to be on the Green Belt, and we need better guidance for developers. I think this could damage the Green Belt and is inappropriate.”