Battery storage plant on Bury green belt could be approved

Applicant Taiyo Power & Storage is asking to create the battery energy storage system (BESS) and ***ociated infrastructure at Shore Top Farm, on Kearsley Road.

The plans are due for discussion at Bury Council’s planning control committee on November 18 and are recommended for approval.

The green belt land is currently used for livestock grazing, but the applicant wants to create a 40-year facility to “store renewable energy for use during times where the electricity is under stress”.

The 11MW capacity for the batteries at the site could store enough electricity to power approximately 2,900 average UK homes.

Taiyo said the proposed development would have 13 battery containers measuring 3.1m high, 6.1m long and 2.6m wide.

Also built would be transformer stations, a switchroom, a substation building, a fire water storage tank and internal access roads.

The proposal would involve creating a temporary access for construction from Wood Street across grazing land to the main development area, where a construction compound would be created.

Site layout plans for the battery storage plant.

The applicant said: “Once operational, Radcliffe BESS would make a valuable contribution towards tackling the climate emergency in Bury and wider area.

“The project will be capable of storing a significant amount of electricity to supply to the grid in times of need, providing crucial backup energy for local homes and businesses.

“We are designing our project to minimise any disturbance to the environment and our neighbours.

“Our key priorities include minimising visibility of the facility from surrounding areas, positioning the facility away from residential properties and providing new landscape planting and improvements to biodiversity which will screen the development and attract additional wildlife to the site and nearby habitats.”

A report published ahead of next week’s meeting said there were 13 objections to the proposals, and two letters of support.

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Objections centred around the impact on the green belt and landscape character, potential noise pollution, fire risk and safety concerns, ecology, traffic, access and parking.

However, council officers believe the plans are acceptable and have recommended that the committee approve the application.

The council’s report said: “The development would result in some harm to the visual appearance of the landscape.

“However, given the wide topography, natural containment of the site, landscaping mitigation measures and limited value of the site as a recreational function in itself, it is considered this harm would be limited and outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal.

“The proposal has been found not to be inappropriate development in the green belt and it would also deliver significant biodiversity net gain.

“National and local planning policy recognises the importance of supporting and renewable energy projects and the BESS facility would support the ongoing shift to renewable energy to help combat climate change.

“Technical matters can be adequately addressed through the imposition of appropriate conditions. The BESS facility would also be a temporary facility and decommissioned after 40 years, whereafter the land would be reinstated.

“It is therefore considered that the proposed development would be acceptable.”