Battery energy storage facility at Dellows, Ginns Road, Stocking Pelham

What was proposed

The application proposed a temporary battery energy storage facility with access, drainage, landscaping, fencing, buildings, equipment and associated engineering works.

“The application proposals seek erection of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure including access, drainage, landscaping and other incidental works. Planning permission is sought for the proposed development for a temporary period, time- limited to 35 years. After this time, all development and infrastructure related to the BESS will be removed from the site.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The 4.1-hectare site is agricultural land in open countryside, enclosed by hedgerows, with a public footpath and listed farmhouse nearby.

“The application site is approximately 4.1 ha in size. The site comprises an enclosed area of agricultural land to the rear of Dellows (a residential dwelling located to the north-east of Stocking Pelham). The site is accessed from Ginns Road, the road between Stocking Pelham and Berden.”

“The site is enclosed by existing mature hedgerow to the north, east, south and west and is set back from Ginns Road. Beyond the site there is open countryside, predominantly agricultural parcels and limited residential dwellings and buildings. A public footpath runs along the west and northern boundary of the site.”

Officer report

Planning history

Relevant history included an environmental screening opinion and several nearby battery storage or solar schemes that were approved or refused.

“East Herts Address Application Number Proposal Decision Date Greens Farm 3/21/0969/FUL Construction of a 50MW battery energy storage system facility and associated access, landscaping and other infrastructure works.”

“Planning permission refused. June 2025 Uttlesford Land east of Pelham Substation, Maggots End Land Near Pelham Substation Maggots End Road Manuden And Berden Construction of a solar photovoltaic ("PV") farm with associated infrastructure Planning permission refused January 2026 Berden Hall Farm, Ginns Road, Berden S62A/22/0006 Ground mounted solar farm with a generation capacity of up to 49.99MW together with associated infrastructure and landscaping.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission because significant clean-energy benefits outweighed limited or minor harms, subject to a legal agreement and conditions.

“The proposals will support the supply and balancing of low carbon and renewable energy to the national grid. This is strongly supported by governments clean power 2030 plan to decarbonise the national grid. As such the proposals would result in significant public benefits in terms of climate change mitigation. The proposals would also result in new tree and landscape planting, delivering a BNG of 20%.”

“Officers consider that the significant public benefits from the proposals outlined above would outweigh the identified harms which are generally of a more limited or minor extent. As such the grant of planning permission is recommended subject to the following planning conditions.”

Officer report

Residents’ concerns

Of 153 responses, 152 objected over rural character, cumulative development, traffic, noise, fire, pollution, biodiversity, heritage and agricultural land.

“No guarantee that mitigation measures such as acoustic barriers will be implemented - 4.5m high barriers will be visible and harm the character of the area - There is no acoustic mitigation to cumulative noise impacts to houses on south side of Ginns Road including from construction vehicles - Overdevelopment/ industrialisation of the surrounding area - Existing BESS has caused noise nuisance and this development is nearer - Impact upon listed buildings in Stocking Pelham…”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

An objector, the agent, parish council representatives and the local ward member addressed the committee, with questions put to some speakers.

What members debated

Members questioned noise, heritage, construction traffic, fire safety, drainage and cumulative effects, while officers explained the proposed mitigation and planning balance.

“Members asked a number of questions regarding noise, heritage impact, the route to be taken by HGVs involved in the implementation of these proposals, fire safety and the shutting down of equipment in the event of fire and contaminated water and the cumulative impact of five BESS schemes in this area.”

“The Principal Planning Officer and the Interim Team Leader (Strategic Applications) addressed Members at length in respect of landscape harm, the noise impact and also on the impact on listed buildings and the conservation of heritage assets. The public benefits, which Members must give significant weight to, would outweigh those harms. Members were reminded that the NPPF did allow the public benefits to outweigh any identified harm to the setting of the heritage assets.”

Minutes

The vote

Members voted to continue the meeting beyond 10 pm and later carried the motion to grant permission with amended and additional conditions.

“At this point in the meeting, 9:55 pm, Councillor Watson proposed and Councillor Thomas seconded, a motion that the meeting would continue for 20 minutes beyond 10 pm.”

“Councillor Estop proposed and Councillor Thomas seconded, a motion that application 3/25/0917/FUL be granted planning permission subject to the conditions set out at the end of the report and also subject to the following amended/additional conditions (the amended wording of condition 24 is to be finalised in consultation with Chair of the Development Management Committee).”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

Permission was granted subject to the report’s conditions, a plantable acoustic retaining wall, strengthened noise controls and landscaping conditions.

“RESOLVED – that application 3/25/0917/FUL be granted planning permission subject to the conditions set out at the end of the report and also subject to the following amended/additional conditions (the amended wording of condition 24 is to be finalised in consultation with Chair of the Development Management Committee):”

Minutes