Green light for proposed energy storage system at Moston

Hydrock UK hopes to start building the facility, which will include 12 battery containers, an on-site substation, boundary fencing and CCTV, in the spring.

Planning officer Gareth Taylerson told the council’s southern planning committee on Wednesday, although the application site is in the open countryside, certain planning policies support public infrastructure developments.

“Obviously this would be by one of the energy companies to provide energy to support the grid, then clearly it meets that criteria,” said Mr Taylerson.

He added: “Because it's a renewable energy project, it is supported by many of the renewable energy policies.”

Mr Taylerson told councillors there were no real impacts with respect to design, and a certain  amount of screening was proposed.

He said the nearest residential property was more than 300 metres away.

Hydrock’s agent, Mr Williams, told the committee: “This battery storage facility will assist your council in delivering essential infrastructure that facilitates the transition to a renewable and low carbon future.”

He said were no objections to the application from any of the council’s technical consultees and several changes had been made to the layout of the facility on the advice of Cheshire East’s ecology officer.

“The ecology officer has confirmed that the proposal will not result in any unacceptable impacts on this local wildlife site,” said Mr Williams.

Cllr Sarah Pochin (Image: Cheshire East Council)

Cllr Sarah Pochin (Bunbury) asked: “Where is the energy coming from? If this had been surrounded by an application for solar panels I would have understood that the solar panels would bring in the energy into this storage, but there’s nothing around it. Where is this energy coming from, or will there be a later application for these fields to be converted for solar panels?”

The agent told her it will be connected to the grid and it takes energy directly from the grid at times when there is a surplus supply and stores it.

Ward councillor John Wray asked why that particular site was chosen and was told because there is a close connection to the grid nearby and it is in a fairly isolated area.

Cllr Wray moved the application be approved and this was seconded by Sandbach councillor Mike Benson.

The vote to approve was unanimous.