PLANS for a battery energy storage site in Hammerwich will be back in front of councillors next week.
The facility, which is being earmarked for land off Lions Den, had been recommended for approval by Lichfield District Council’s planning department.
But a meeting of the local authority’s planning committee earlier this month failed to reach a decision, with members instead opting to defer until they reconvene on 21st July.
Councillors had opted not to decide the fate of the application over concerns about information coming to them late and the desire for a site visit.
Local ward member Cllr Leona Leung had spoken on behalf of residents at the previous meeting.
The Conservative representative for Hammerwich and Wall, said the scheme should be rejected.
She said:
“I support the drive to renewable energy, but it must be done correctly and in the right place – and not in the green belt.
“Hammerwich, like other rural areas, has its own unique characteristics. Many choose to live, work or visit this area due to the fresh air, scenery and wildlife provided by the green belt.
“This land is not grey belt. It has no electricity, no water, no drainage – it is prime agricultural land. It is green belt as are the surrounding fields.
“Lichfield District Council has a green belt review underway. Is this land allowed to be deemed as grey belt in advance of the review being published? There are plenty of brownfield lands much closer to the sub-station for connection.
“This proposal requries 3.6km of connection cables to be laid. There are too many questions still to be answered about this.”
But the applicant’s agent said the scheme would help address national demand for energy storage facilities.
“There have been no objections from a range of statutory and non-statutory consultees related to the principal of development and technical matters.
“The development will increase much-needed battery storage capacity in the UK in a location able to connect via existing infrastructure.
“This location is away from residential properties and flood-risk areas. It is also within a viable distance of Burntwood sub-station to provide a secure grid connection and contribute to helping to meet climate change and emission reduction targets at international, national and local levels.”
Committee member Cllr Serena Mears was among those to call for a deferral at the last meeting. She said:
Cllr Serena Mears, independent representative for Highfield ward, said:
“Incomplete information has been provided through the consultations and we don’t have the full picture yet.
“If we agree that this application is not deferred, we are setting a precedent in the area that it is acceptable for a development such as this to go ahead with incomplete information.
“It would be negligent of all councillors here if we didn’t defer this to allow us to dig into the detail further.”
They can keep submitting plans until the council relents and allows it. Just the once, but for all time thereafter. Surely a broader perspective has to be taken for these decisions.