Plans for woodland battery energy farm approved

Trees will be chopped down to make way for the facility

A battery energy farm is set to be built in Derbyshire after a planning application was approved.

South Derbyshire District Council backed a bid for a site on Park Road in Overseal at a meeting on Tuesday.

The scheme, from Care Power (Overseal) Ltd, will involve chopping down 2.5 acres of National Forest woodland next to a recently-developed holiday lodge site, with more than 50 battery shipping containers taking their place.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said some residents called the decision "an utter disgrace".

The facility will be able to store 50MW of electricity and provide power for 17,236 homes each year.

It will be connected by 7.5km of cabling to the former Drakelow power station, the LDRS said.

'Significant benefits'

Anne Hughes, chairman of Overseal Parish Council, had told the meeting that developing the site "would be a significant loss of amenity for residents".

"We recognise the need for battery storage facilities, but they should be sited in industrial locations, which are available in South Derbyshire, not in the heart of the National Forest," she said.

"The elderly there [in a nearby retirement home] are fearful that their peaceful haven will be shattered by the noise, traffic and pollution."

Jake Stentiford, agent for the applicant, said the scheme carried "significant benefits", including the avoidance of 9,600 tonnes of carbon emissions.

"It is an excellent opportunity for the country to deliver energy and national security and protect them from external shocks, with long-term improvements for the area," he said.

According to the LDRS, councillors had been deadlocked at six votes for and six votes against the scheme, with one, Labour's Ian Hudson, abstaining.

Chairman Gareth Jones used his casting vote to approve the application.

He said any bid to block the development could see "costs awarded against us time and time again".

"Refusing this would be nothing other than a temporary reprieve," he added.

"It is very clear that if we refuse this it will go to appeal and we would lose and probably have costs awarded.

"It would be a futile gesture."