Battery energy storage facility at Land North Of Rayleigh Spur Roundabout A130 Benfleet, Wickford

What was proposed

The application proposed a temporary battery energy storage facility with battery enclosures, electrical equipment, access, security and associated infrastructure.

“The application seeks the installation of an energy storage facility including battery enclosures, power conversion units, transformers, substations, grid connection infrastructure, vehicular access and associated works. The facility will connect to the Rayleigh Substation via an overhead cable route to a designated pylon to the north- east of the substation, serving as the point of connection.”

“The proposed development comprises modified ISO-style shipping containers mounted on concrete foundations, each measuring approximately 6.1 metres long, 2.4 metres wide, and 2.9 metres high, with Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units at both ends.”

Officer report

The site

The 18.27-hectare site was agricultural Green Belt land enclosed by three major roads, with most of it in the lowest flood-risk zone.

“The application site comprises approximately 18.27 hectares of land located north of Rayleigh Spur Roundabout in Basildon. It is bounded by the Southend Arterial Road (A127) to the north, the A1245 to the east, the A130 to the west, and Rayleigh Spur Roundabout to the south. Industrial and employment units are situated beyond the roundabout and within the immediate vicinity.”

“The site is located within the Green Belt and is classified as Grade 3a agricultural land under the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) report. The majority of the site…”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

Earlier proposals included a pre-application enquiry, an environmental impact screening opinion and an approved battery storage scheme nearby.

“Application Number Proposal Decision 25/00020/PREAPP Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure capable of delivering up to 150MW storage. Further details provided within the submitted covering letter.”

“Closed 10.04.2025 25/00463/SCREEN EIA Screening Opinion Request for Proposed development of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and Associated Infrastructure.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The applicant’s agent spoke in support, describing the proposal as critical grid infrastructure that could respond quickly to outages and would be barely visible.

The committee debate

Members differed over whether the facility’s grid benefits and location outweighed harm to agricultural Green Belt land.

“In response to questions of clarification, it was confirmed that while the wider parcel of land within which the development site sat contributed strongly to Green Belt purposes, the site itself did not, being landlocked by three major roads and distant from residential dwellings; that the facility would be surrounded but a buffer and enclosed by fencing, protecting it if a vehicle were to leave a road; and that the land was currently arable farmland, the farmer having…”

“Some members of the committee believed the Very Special Circumstances identified did not outweigh the harm to agricultural Green Belt land while…”

Minutes

The vote

Members voted to refuse permission, overturning the officer recommendation.

“A vote was taken, the outcome being to REFUSE outline planning permission, thereby overturning the officer’s recommendation.”

“Officers reminded members of the risk inherent in taking a decision contrary to the officer’s recommendation and the evidence in the report, which demonstrated that while the larger parcel of land in which the site was located strongly contributed to Green Belt purposes but that the smaller site did not.”

Minutes

The decision and reason

Planning permission was refused because the applicant had not demonstrated very special circumstances outweighing harm to the Green Belt.

“That Planning Application No. 25/00898/FULL be REFUSED planning permission on the grounds that The Applicant had failed to demonstrate Very Special Circumstances that outweighed the harm to the Green Belt.”

Minutes