Battery storage site unanimously rejected over pollution fears

Another battery energy storage system (BESS) has been rejected

Plans for a battery storage facility in East Devon have been unanimously rejected because of concerns about pollution.

The proposal for a battery energy storage system (BESS) at Blackpool Corner, Axminster had been submitted by Root Power, which hoped it would be able to store enough energy to power 100,000 homes for two hours.

Such sites are becoming more prevalent because they can store energy from renewable sources, such as wind or solar, and then feed it into the grid at times of high demand when there is little to no wind or sunshine to generate electricity.

However, members of East Devon District Council’s planning committee raised fears that a vital aquifer that provides water to local residents could be polluted in the event of a fire.

The applicant had proposed underground storage for run-off water that would be used to cool equipment if a blaze broke out. The storage is aimed at preventing the water entering watercourses, but planners weren’t satisfied with the details.

“The detail is just not in this one,” said Cllr Mike Howe (Independent, Clyst Valley).

“We have problems with not having the correct details, and problems with the possible damage to the aquifer.

“Also, they have put water storage in, but they don’t have enough storage to collect what would be needed to fight a fire.”

The report for councillors said the scheme proposed 500,000 litres of water storage to capture run-off from any firefighting, but that around five million litres was needed to deal with such an incident.

“My main concern is the aquifer, which has not been addressed properly by the applicant,” Cllr Brian Bailey (Conservative, Exmouth Littleham).

The Environment Agency said while it didn’t have an objection to the scheme, there was “no specific assessment on risks to groundwater”, and recommended the council “seeks more information in relation to the protection of groundwater”.

Committee chair Cllr Olly Davey (Green Party, Exmouth Town) noted that the applicant had “not sent a representative along to plead their case”.

Residents attended the meeting to speak out against the application, which had also been recommended for refusal by officers based on its “significant adverse landscape impact”.

Objector Elliot Jones, a member of the Hawkchurch Action  Group, said this was “the wrong location for this form of development”, noting an application on this site had previously been refused.

Dr Karen Goaman called the approach to water storage “disingenuous” and “inadequate”.

She referenced how the Planning Inspectorate had refused an appeal for a BESS at nearby Pound Road partly because of the size of water storage on site, which was believed to be insufficient.

The two objectors were among those who had just weeks earlier successfully lobbied for a similar scheme in a nearby location to be refused.

That scheme, submitted by Clearstone Energy for land near Hazelhurst Raymonds Hill, Axminster, was thrown out after a three-and-a-half hour debate.

Darwin Escapes, the operator of nearby Hawkchurch Resort and Spa, reiterated its objection to the latest development, emphasising the “tranquil” landscape would be disrupted.

It said its guests would be able to see the four-metre-high security lighting columns that had been proposed around it would ruin the area’s dark night skies, and a four-metre tall fence would also negatively impact the area’s natural beauty.

The committee voted unanimously to refuse the scheme.