Planning Permission for Battery Energy Storage Facility
7 November 2023
The application site (red star) within the wider site context (Source: Google Maps 2023)
Images showing the site and the immediate surroundings.
Enzygo Ltd successfully secured planning permission for a battery energy storage facility following Well End Energy Hub Ltd.’s successful appeal against the decision of Buckinghamshire Council. The planning application was initially refused at planning committee, despite the Officer’s recommendation for approval, due to the proposed developments harm to the Green Belt and the Little Marlow Lakes Country Park.
Enzygo produced and submitted technical documents from our internal teams including landscape, noise, hydrology, ecology, geo-environmental and hydrology and project managed the original planning application. Following the refusal, Enzygo successfully managed the appeal and provided landscape services to support the appeal.
Operating as a multi-disciplinary consultancy allowed for efficient and effective cross-team working to ensure no statutory consultee objections as part of the original application (which was recommended for approval) and ultimately led to the successful planning appeal.
Benefits of the Consented Development
Consented Site Layout Above
The consented battery energy storage facility will be essential infrastructure in the UK’s energy systems transition to a robust, low carbon, secure and flexible energy system powered by intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar. The consented development will enable a faster transition to the low carbon future powered by intermittent renewable sources and help meet the UK Government’s target of Net Zero by 2050.
Following a robust site search, the site was identified as entirely suitable for the proposed development, being situated within close proximity to the electricity substation point of connection which had sufficient capacity to support the consented scheme.
From the outset, Enzygo recognised the requirements of the site to ensure the development was fit for purpose and acceptable to the client, Local Authority, and other stakeholders. During the appeal process, Enzygo’s Planning and Landscape team successfully demonstrated that there was Very Special Circumstances for the development to be located in the green belt, and that there was no harm to the Little Marlow Lakes Country Park.
Multi-disciplinary consultants Enzygo Ltd successfully managed the planning appeal process resulting in Well End Green Energy Hub Ltd being successful in their appeal against the decision of Buckinghamshire Council.
The Planning Inspectorate agreed with Enzygo’s assessment that the environmental benefits of the proposal are sufficient to clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and the proposal would not harm the Little Marlow Lakes Country Park. H Wilkinson, the Inspector in the appeal, confirmed that “the proposed development would contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by providing a facility to store surplus energy”.
Enzygo looks forward to continuing to work with Well End Green Energy Hub Ltd on their future energy infrastructure projects following this success.
Case Study
Anaerobic Digestion Facility
Project
The Operator processes food waste by treating and digesting a wide range of waste feedstocks. Wastes are treated to remove packaging and other non-digestible contaminants, to create a liquor which his subjected to anaerobic digestion. This digestion process produces methane which is used to generate electricity by combustion in the on-site gas engines for export to the National Grid.
Environmental Permit Application Variations
Enzygo’s Permitting team successfully applied for use of an additional engine to enable the client to increase the amount of energy exported to the National Grid, thereby improving profitability of the facility. This involved upgrading their existing Standard Rules Permit to a Bespoke Permit and required production of supporting technical documentation and management of the Application process. A further Variation Application was submitted to enable the use of an ‘Organic Rankine Cycle’ heat recovery unit, which uses heat lost in the engine flues to generate a secondary source of electricity, further increasing export to the National Grid without any increase in waste throughput or biomethane generation.
Your Dream. Our Mission.
What we did?
Enzygo are tasked with providing on-going regulatory support to the client to assist them in complying with their Environmental Permit. This support has included preparation of permit variation applications, preparation of an Environmental Management System and providing training to employees on the Environmental Management System.
01
Environmental Management System
Enzygo’s Permitting Team produced a bespoke EMS to enhance environmental performance and demonstrate compliance with permit conditions. The EMS was produced to site-specific standards of operation and within the scope of ISO14001: Environmental Management Systems. Enzygo also developed training for operatives and site management to ensure that the new standards of the EMS were adhered to. This provided additional reassurance to our client’s Directors that a high standard of environmental protection will be achieved during day to day operations.
02
Regulatory Support
Enzygo’s Permitting Team has provided on-going regulatory support across a wide range of topics including Pollution Inventory Reporting and training, BAT assessments, liaison with Environment Agency, advice compliance with Environmental Regulations, guidance and policy.
03
What We Achieved
Enzygo’s Permitting Team explained to the Regulator how the ORC technology worked, as they were not familiar with this, and demonstrated that the technology would not lead to any increased emissions from the site. Enzygo’s training has ensured that employees are aware of the responsibilities placed on them by the Site’s Environmental Management System.
