Plans to create a new battery farm between Lambley and Burton Joyce were given the green light last night by councillors.
Gedling Borough Council’s planning committee debated whether the plans to create this will go ahead – and many voiced concerns.
They were debating the application from Grenergy Renewables UK Ltd to create a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure on land at Burton Wood Farm on Spring Lane.
BESS are now being built across the UK to help balance the electricity grid, which is becoming increasingly powered by renewables.
The systems hold electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind turbines and solar farms.
Developer Grenergy said that fire safety and preventing noise pollution would be at the ‘forefront of all considerations’ at the proposed site.
They also claimed the site would power 300,000 Houses per hour and save 1.77 tonnes of carbon over a 40-year period
Many councillors raised concerns around noise and fire risks during the meeting.
Cllr Sam Smith, who represents Trent Valley ward on Gedling Borough Council, told the committee he would be voting against plans.
He said: “I’ve read in the report the Fire Authority are inconclusive on whether this application is safe. Well, I’m not inconclusive of whether we should risk the life of residents as a result of passing this application. It’s complete nonsense.”
Cllr Russell Whiting, who represents Colwick ward, also raised concerns about fire risk.
He said: “I don’t think we should be being asked to support an application that the Fire and Rescue Service are not in support of.
“There are, there are obviously issues around battery fires. There was a recent incident in Mansfield, and I know there are issues with putting them out. I know that paragraph 12, one of our report says, quote, fires are rare, and there have only been two. But I suspect the people living near those two sites might take a different view to whether fires are rare or not.”
Despite concerns, nine councillors voted to approve plans and seven voted against which resulted in planning approval.
And just like that, without a vote by the public who pay ALL of your wages, you go ahead no matter what we say or want!!! Typical!!
Good, energy infrastructure is desperately needed for the future of this country if we are going to stop relying on foreign power sources which fund dictators. People who object to these projects are part of why we are a laughing stock internationally and can’t seem to get anything built on time.
More storage is needed to meet demand during spikes of energy use, to bring down the cost of running gas power stations which push up the total cost of energy caused by the marginal cost pricing system.
I am glad it was approved. Those Lambley NIMBYs were happy to have this dumped in Stoke Bardolph just not in their backyard. It was ok for other villages to suffer but just not precious Lambley. No sympathy here
It wouldn’t have been in Stoke Bardolph it was suggested it would go at the side of the water treatment works on Severn Trent Land, but obviously the price was too high for Grenergy so they picked a site near residents. The storage system is in completely the wrong place and supposed to be temporary, though I’m not sure 40 years is temporary?
It was not jst Lambley but all the surrounding areas that did not want the facility. Plus MP’s who supported their opposition and how many councillors who could have voted where not there.
What did our MP’s actually do to stop this, oh, nothing!