Battery plant to be built on agricultural land near Guisborough

Battery energy storage systems enable electrical energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind power to be stored and then released to the national grid depending on the level of demand.

The applicant, Harmony GBW Limited, previously approached Redcar and Cleveland Council for so-called ‘screening advice’ over the industrial development.

It will consist of 20 individual battery containers, transformers, two office containers and a switch room.

An existing solar energy farm already lies to the west of the application site which covers 3.74 hectares.

Access to the site will be via an existing access point directly off A171 with an internal road being provided for construction, management and maintenance of the facility.

The council’s highway engineers said any traffic generated would not have a material impact on the operation of the highway network, and they had no objections.

Once complete, it would generally operate unmanned, albeit with 10 to 15 visits a month for site visits and general maintenance.

The potential for noise was also considered with an acoustic fence on the perimeter of the site at the northern and southern edges being provided as a mitigation measure.

A council officer deemed there would not be a significant adverse impact on the amenities of occupiers of existing or proposed buildings, homes being situated about 100m away on the south side of the A171 and with a farm complex also being about 160m to the north of the site.

A landscape and visual impact assessment accompanying the plans said mitigation planting would help to set the proposed development within the local landscape and improve the biodiversity on site.

This included planting native hedgerow trees along the western, eastern and northern boundaries and creating wildflower areas, while a SUDs pond is another aspect of the plans.

Any fencing, meanwhile, should include gaps suitable for hedgehog and other small mammals to move through to suitable areas of habitat. 

The officer said: “It is acknowledged that the proposed development does not generate electricity, however, it would assist in meeting both national and local climate change objectives by providing essential  infrastructure to support the transition toward a renewable and low carbon economy.” 

A planning statement drawn up by consultants on behalf of the applicant said the lifespan of the plant would be 40 years and at the end of its operational life the site could be fully restored.

It said: “We consider that this should be looked upon favourably given the scheme seeks to provide a new source of renewable energy, in an area that already comprises similar development. 

“The scheme would provide significant social, economic, and environmental benefits for the area and has been designed to the highest standard within the confines of the development’s nature and would not result in any adverse impacts on amenity, biodiversity, noise, or highways.”

No objections were received by the council.