Battery storage approved despite location concerns

The battery storage site is surrounded by agricultural fields

A battery storage facility, which will help power tens of thousands of homes, has been approved despite concerns about its impact on the landscape.

Energy developer Balance Power will construct the site on a 3.56-hectare (8.79-acre) field at Radwell Bury Farm, near Baldock, Hertfordshire.

Countryside charity CPRE objected to the location and said it would be "a significant scar on open countryside".

Reacting to the approval by North Herts Council, Balance Power said its project would "contribute to local environmental goals and support the transition to a more sustainable future".

The facility will store surplus renewable energy and release it to approximately 26,767 homes during periods of high demand, it added.

The approval followed "an extensive community consultation process", which addressed concerns and saw the design adapted, it said.

"It's important to us that our developments leave a lasting positive legacy, and we made sure we chose a site specifically out of the greenbelt, out of residential areas, and designed to enhance local biodiversity," said Ryan Stott of Balance Power.

"We're confident that Radwell Bury will deliver long-term value for both the community, the grid, and the local environment."

North Herts Council heard that while the site conflicted with part of the Local Plan, it was considered to be in "the next best location", with limited harm to landscape character.

"Much of the harm would be mitigated through appropriate landscaping improvements to the site," a planning report added.