100MW battery storage system at Land to the south of Shuttleworth House Farm, Hapton

What was proposed

The application proposed a 100MW Battery Energy Storage System with associated infrastructure.

“TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 Proposal: 100MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with associated infrastructure Location: Land to the south of Shuttlworth House Farm…”

Minutes

What officers recommended

Officers recommended refusal because the proposed kerb build-out would create a highway obstacle and an unacceptable narrowing of the road.

“The proposed built out kerbs would however create a highways safety issues creating an obstacle in the road for drivers and unacceptably narrowing the country road which would be expected to be used by large farm vehicles. Furthermore, given the Highways Authority have advised that the proposed kerb build outs would create liability hazard it appears the proposal could not be delivered as it would require a S278 agreement with the Highways Authority.”

“The proposed kerb build out would create an obstacle within the highway and narrow the road to the unacceptable detriment of highways safety. As such the scheme would have an unacceptable impact on highways safety contrary to Local Plan Policy IC1 and the Framework.”

Officer report

Who spoke

Councillor Broughton spoke on the application and left before members voted.

The committee’s discussion

Members were reminded to base their decision on proper planning grounds and to provide evidence for any decision contrary to officers’ advice.

“May I remind members that any decision taken in this matter must be based on, and only on, proper planning grounds reflecting your planning judgement on the case. Your officers have advised fully in relation to the relevant material considerations and policy background and you should consider that advice carefully.”

“To reiterate, you are not bound to adopt the professional or technical advice given by your own officers or received from statutory bodies or consultees. However, you will be expected to show that you had reasonable planning grounds for taking a decision contrary to such advice and are able to produce relevant evidence to support your decision in all respects. If the Council were to fail to do so, it may be liable to have costs awarded against it.”

Minutes

The vote

A recorded vote supported refusing the application against the officer recommendation, and the motion was carried.

“As the motion was contrary to officer recommendation, a recorded vote was subsequently taken.”

“To refuse the application against officer recommendation (Resolution) Councillor Mohammed Ishtiaq For Councillor Martyn Hurt For Councillor Gordon Birtwistle No vote recorded Councillor Joanne Broughton No vote recorded Councillor Sue Graham For Councillor John Harbour For Councillor Bill Horrocks Abstain Councillor Alan Hosker For Councillor Shah Hussain For Councillor Jacqueline Inckle For Councillor Anne Kelly For Councillor Lubna Khan No vote recorded Councillor Mike…”

Minutes

The decision and reasons

The application was refused because its benefits did not amount to very special circumstances or outweigh Green Belt harm.

“The benefits of the proposed Battery Energy Storage Scheme would not provide very special circumstances to justify ‘inappropriate’ development within the Green Belt contrary to Local Plan Policy SP7 and paragraph 153 of the Framework. Nor would the benefits of the scheme outweigh the harm of permitting development in the Green Belt which would be contrary to its purpose of safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another.”

Minutes