Hundreds object to batteries on 'Rivals' estate

Hundreds of objections have been lodged against proposals for a large battery storage facility on a country estate used to film hit TV drama Rivals.

Renewable energy company Grenergy wants to build a 450MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on land at Neston Park Estate, near Corsham, Wiltshire, which is also home to Peter Gabriel's WOMAD festival.

Concerns from locals over the 216 battery containers include fire safety and water contamination.

Grenergy said it takes safety "extremely seriously" and has a strategy to handle potential fires, adding water issues can be safely managed.

The scheme would operate for 35 years, with Grenergy arguing battery storage is essential to store surplus renewable electricity and release it when demand is high - something the company said will play a "fundamental role in energy transition".

Wiltshire Council has yet to decide on the planning application.

Joe Exon, who lives 700 metres away from where the battery storage would be, is part of the campaign group against it - STOP Neston Bess.

He said: "The main concern is the sheer scale of this and why put it in this location.

"It's a historic location and its a substantial industrialisation of agricultural land.

"We're not a bunch of nimbys. We all know that we need to be improving our energy supply across the country. We need to be moving to renewables but this site doesn't actually generate any power at all."

Local councillor Vic Steadman said people see "no public benefit for it but a lot of social harm and harm to the environment, harm to ecology" as well as potential safety dangers after fires at similar sites.

The company said it will continue to "work closely with the communities to ensure they are informed as the scheme progresses through to operation".

It said the project's aim is to create a "positive impact".

There are concerns around fire safety linked to large lithium-ion battery installations

Grenergy said it has worked with the local fire and rescue service, who are satisfied with the proposals.

The strategy at the site would be to let one unit burn while dousing nearby ones with water so it does not spread.

There are concerns from locals that firewater would be contaminated with the chemicals from batteries, which would be at risk of reaching groundwater.

In a comment on the planning application, Wessex Water explained it is a "source protection area".

Grenergy said areas occupied by batteries would have impermeable membranes beneath them, and there would be a lined basin for contaminated water.

Another issue is noise - a specialist review commissioned by Neston residents challenged the applicant's assessment that there would just be low-frequency noise.

Grenergy said any risks can be safely managed, and that the proposed battery containers would use a more stable technology than some alternative battery storage methods.

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