Last chance to comment on proposed battery plant in North Bucks

Comments on the proposed development close at 23:59 tonight (19/9/24), with a local opposition group urging residents to take action.

The link to comment on the plans for the Battery Energy Storage System on land near Granborough is below, along with a statement from the Claydons Solar Action Group. They argue the development, along with a proposed Solar plant on nearby land, will be detrimental to the area, businesses and residents in East Claydon, Steeple Claydon, Winslow, Botolph Claydon, Granborough, Quainton and surrounding villages.

Comment using this link https://publicaccess.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/.../applicati... (EXTERNAL SITE)

Statement from Claydons Solar Action Group:

CUMULATIVE AFFECT

Cumulative affect with Statera Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Statkraft BESS, the larger substation and Rosefield Solar Farm will be enormous.

The new information received that Statera BESS 500MW and now Statkraft 500MW are actually in partnership with each other.

SIZE REDUCTION

Reducing the size of the proposed site by one field will make a negligible impact to an already ridiculously large proposal.

Reducing the size of the battery storage site shows just how technology is moving on at such a fast pace.

With the new, double the size substation due to be ready in 2030, there is clearly no point in even putting in planning permission as in 5 years when it can be connected to the grid, everything will have moved on even further.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

WATER/FLOODING ISSUES

Nothing has been done to address the flooding issue. Disposal of storm water has not been addressed.

FIRE HAZARDS

Fire hazards not clear - a lot of information but nothing substantial enough to make it clear.

The large shipping containers are changing and changing rapidly. New accessible units are coming from China. Although they contain batteries temperature and gas sensors, a sprinkler system, warning systems and cooling systems, there would need to be more significant requirements re access and water accessibility. There are currently no standards or regulations for these. Clearly these need to be ‘managed’ and there will not be engineering expertise to make judgements. Until government take responsibility for clear standards and regulations, both BESS and Solar applications should be halted.

Although containers may be the most updated ones, there is always the possibility of a fire and this has not been addressed properly. Testing of BESS facilities will not guarantee no fires.

If a fire does occur there would be insufficient water available.

Toxic fumes are extremely dangerous on neighbouring villages either one side or the other depending on the prevailing winds at the time. This WILL affect either Granborough, Winslow and villages or East Claydon, Botolph Claydon, Hogshaw and villages.

VISUAL AMENITY

Predicted changes to views have still not been addressed sufficiently and will still be clearly seen/heard both during construction and afterwards.

NOISE

It has been confirmed that there is indeed a constant hum from these units and this will affect anyone who lives close to the BESS together with walkers etc, enjoying the footpaths.

WILDLIFE SURVEY

A wildlife survey for just one day on 12th February for 4 hours is clearly not enough for surveying birds and wildlife and should be carried out at different times of the year.

CONSTRUCTION PHASE

During construction there WILL be a lot of disruption to all the villages around the proposed site/s. This will be 24/7. We all know that although there maybe stipulations as to times allowed, seeing the way HS2 operate, this will not be the case.

Very large lorry’s with shipment containers, and other construction traffic will be a constant nuisance to all areas affecting Granborough, Winslow, The Claydons, Quainton and beyond.

https://publicaccess.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/.../applicati...

Oliver Troup, Development Lead at Statera Energy, told Bucks Radio:

Statera Energy's proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) next to East Claydon substation will provide up to 500MW of stored energy, which can be deployed instantly to the energy grid. The East Claydon site, like other similar BESS facilities, will play an important role in the decarbonisation of the UK's energy sector by storing surplus renewable energy which would otherwise be wasted, and needs to be located close to existing grid infrastructure. The stored power will be released to the grid at peak times, powering thousands of homes and providing energy security and resilience to the UK energy system.

Statera consulted extensively with the local community throughout the planning process which has resulted in Statera submitting a revised planning proposal which reduces the footprint of the site by 31% and which guarantees the diversion of traffic through the construction phase away from local villages. In addition, to mitigate the landscape impact of the site and enhance the local biodiversity a comprehensive landscaping scheme is being proposed.

The proposal for the East Claydon site is wholly developed by Statera Energy and it has no relationship to Statkraft's  plans, or any other proposals in the vicinity.