Buckinghamshire Council Rejects 33-Hectare Battery Storage Project

Proposals for an electricity storage station have been turned down by a council following objections from hundreds of individuals. A committee at Buckinghamshire Council voted by a majority of seven to two to dismiss the plans for the 500MW storage facility, intended for a location near Granborough, a village situated between Buckingham and Aylesbury. Statera Energy had aimed to house batteries within 518 shipping containers on what was planned to be a 33-hectare site. The company stated it was “disappointed” by the decision and would explore its subsequent options. During Thursday’s meeting of the Strategic Sites Committee, the council rejected the proposals, citing concerns that they would negatively impact the landscape and its inherent character. Conservative committee chairman Alan Turner informed his fellow councillors: “It is a business opportunity rather than providing any green energy.” According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, residents living near the land, which is adjacent to the East Claydon substation, also expressed concerns regarding the potential risk of fires and explosions caused by such a large concentration of batteries. Parish councillor Steve Slater brought up the Buncefield fuel depot fire in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. A spokesperson for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero commented that battery fires at storage sites are “extremely rare in the UK”. They further added: “Every battery storage facility we construct helps protect families from future energy shocks”. Statera’s intention was to store energy from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, for the National Grid, and the firm has indicated its desire to help Britain reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The company stated that the system was designed to operate for 40 years and would have contributed to powering 540,000 homes. Greg Smith, the Conservative MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, warned that the site would have been “devastating” to the environment and local communities, describing it as another “hideous monster to ravage the countryside”. Separate proposals from different companies for a solar farm and an additional battery storage unit in the same vicinity have also encountered local opposition. Statera Energy issued a statement saying: “We are disappointed by the council members’ decision to refuse the application, especially given the positive recommendations from its officers.”