Battery plant on farmland gets go-ahead

Proposals to build a battery energy storage system (BESS) on farmland in West Yorkshire have been approved.

The application by Harmony Energy to install the facility at a six acre (2.5 hectare) site off Holmfield Lane, near Castleford, was given the go-ahead by Wakefield Council.

The 36 energy storage unit BESS would take in power from renewable sources and release them to the National Grid when demand was high, the applicants said.

A total of 49 residents objected to the scheme, citing concerns about traffic hazards along the lane, fire risks and the impact on local wildlife.

The site was originally designated as greenbelt land under Wakefield Council's Local Plan, which was adopted in January 2024.

However, it was later deemed to be "grey belt" land after the government published a revised national policy framework in December.

A planning statement submitted by the energy company said the benefits brought by the scheme would outweigh any harm, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It said the A1(M) and M62 motorways already dominated the openness of the greenbelt near Castleford.

Harmony said this type of scheme was a "vital component in the drive towards zero carbon".

"This type of technology has an important role to play across the National Grid, and at a local level in Wakefield's own target to achieve zero carbon by 2038," it stated.

West Yorkshire Fire Service called for the scheme to be designed in accordance with National Fire Chiefs Council guidelines for BESS facilities.

Proposals for a BESS facility less than half a mile away, off Stranglands Lane, next to the former Ferrybridge Power Station, were also approved last week.

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