Campaign group launched against new battery storage site plan

Heydour Residents’ Action Group has set up in opposition of the proposed Foxdale Battery Energy Storage System being proposed by RPC Elmya Carnation Foxdale Limited, a renewable energy developer with bases in the UK, Greece and Spain. The site would cover 35.7 hectares of greenfield, agricultural land south of Aisby if approved, and would store up to 800 MW of energy produced by wind and solar during low demand for later use.

Elmya explains the excess energy from the network can then be released when demand is high. This means renewable sources can power homes and businesses consistently at all hours of the day.

They state: “This technology is essential to speeding up the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable power as green energy cannot always consistently produce electricity at all hours of the day. Installing storage systems means energy from renewable sources can power homes and businesses even when the sun isn’t shining, or the wind isn’t blowing."

The project involves 736 battery containers and 184 transformer units and includes a substation, control rooms, access tracks, fencing, CCTV, drainage systems, and ecological enhancements.

Construction would take up to 18 months and is estimated to have a lifespan of up to 40 years.

The developers held a public consultation event on Thursday May 8 at Heydour Parish Village Hall.

They stated: “The public consultation event gave the opportunity for local residents and the project team at Elmya to meet and talk about the project in more detail.”

Further comments can be emailed to: [email protected].

The scheme is due to be submitted to South Kesteven District Council for formal consideration.

Foxdale BESS could store enough energy to power every home in South Kesteven for more than two hours.

Heydour Residents’ Action Group planned to join in a national walking event on June 8 to highlight large-scale solar and BESS schemes in the countryside, starting at 10am at the village hall in Aisby, when a community walk would be led around the Foxdale site.

Then on Tuesday June 10, at 7pm county councillor Marianne Overton was to be guest speaker on the subject, as she represents the Cliff villages when more solar and BESS sites are planned. A keen environmentalist she is opposed to the projects.

Sue Jackson, from Aisby is part of the Action Group said there are several areas of objection.

She said: “The site is adjacent to Nightingale Plantation County Wildlife Site and Heydour Southings Ancient Woodland, both ecologically sensitive areas. Multiple protected species may be impacted (eg bats, great crested newts, badgers, overwintering birds). Pond ecosystems and arable margins are at risk due to pollution, habitat fragmentation, or construction proximity.

“The required further ecological surveys have not all been completed and may uncover legally protected species.”

She also claimed there may not be adequate buffer zones to protect ancient woodland and hedgerows.

She added: "Although the site is not in a protected landscape, the industrial scale and visual intrusion from 920 containers could significantly affect the rural character. Public Rights of Way cross the site.”

A big concern was the construction period, as it is proposed to use narrow country lanes through Oasby for the construction traffic, raising concerns about road safety, noise, dust, and damage to rural roads. There was also concern about noise from the installed equipment.

She also drew attention to the proximity to Oasby Conservation Area and other historic sites and loss of food-producing, greenfield land.

She also raised the risk of fire: “Although mitigation plans are proposed, the risk of battery fires or chemical leakage remains a community concern due to the site’s scale and storage capacity.”

Flood risk was also a concern as she said the concrete bases needed would mean water would run down the hill from the site and into the village.

Ms Jackson said: “We have 109 local residents signed up to the action group and seven of us formed a committee to take it forward. We are working on a campaign to send 1,000 letters of objection to Ed Milliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

"These schemes need to be placed on brownfield sites, not next to rural communities with Grade II listed buildings and wildlife.”

The developers argue that the construction of the BESS will look to provide employment opportunities for local people including apprenticeships and partnerships with local contractors. Elmya RPC have also committed to the creation of a community fund, to serve the local community through the life cycle of the project.

They added: “We are committed to enhancing the local environment and protecting local wildlife.

“Our development will achieve a minimum 10 per cent Biodiversity Net Gain through planting additional hedgerows and trees, providing diverse habitats that will create new, resilient ecological networks.”

They insist BESS schemes are safe.

“The BESS will be equipped with a sophisticated Battery Management System (BMS) that continuously monitor temperature, voltage, and current to detect any anomalies. Early detection of fires will be monitored via sensors for smoke, heat and gas.

“Fire resistant barriers and containment systems will be installed to prevent the spread of fire between battery modules and to the surrounding environment. Ventilation systems will also dissipate heat and gases.

“Automated fire suppression systems will be installed, which can quickly contain and extinguish fires. In the event of a detected failure or a thermal runaway, the BESS can automatically disconnect the affected battery module to prevent the spread of fire.

“We will follow the National Fire Chiefs Council guidance that sets out a number of fire risk and safety criteria.”