Revised plans for large battery storage facility at Legacy sub station given green light despite fire concerns

A revised layout to a battery storage facility scheme at Legacy sub station have been given the go ahead by councillors.

This is despite concerns over thermal runaway fire risks – when the temperature of batteries rise uncontrollably and trigger explosions or fire – which were not deemed planning issues.

Planning committee members yesterday backed the plans, with one attempt to refuse the application for being ‘out of settlement’ also being rejected.

The newly approved development, off Bronwylfa Road ,provides for 30 battery banks (single stacked), 15 battery inverters, 1 switch gear unit, 1 auxiliary transformer compound and 1 client control room.

This was a reduction on a already approved 52 double stacked battery banks, 26 battery inverters, 2 switch gear units, 1 auxiliary transformer, 1 control room and 40 cubic meter water tank that got the green light on the same site in 2021.

A representative of the application explained why the committee were hearing a similar application again: “The revised proposal seeks reduce the density and the height of the approved developments, but requires a small extension to the application boundary on two areas of existing hardstanding within the existing national grid substation.

“These are very minor changes to the application boundary and the design changes are proposed for operational safety reasons due to improvements in battery storage technologies, international safety standards and changes to battery chemistry that minimises the risk of thermal runaway and fire.

“This project is all about energy security, increasing the deployment of renewable energy generation and reducing and stabilising electricity costs for consumers.”

He added: “The Government and National Grid have recognised that energy storage will play a critical role in supporting the move to net zero.

“And the Legacy substation is a strategically important part of the National Grid transmission network that has the capacity to accommodate the grid scale energy storage projects.

“The project would be delivered by 2024 if planning permission is granted, and this would support national grid in delivering a net zero electricity system by 2035.”

Council Leader Mark Pritchard spoke against the plans, in his capacity as community council representative.

He said: “I am asking you today to refuse the planning application on the grounds that the site lies outside the settlement limits, within the area of local designation of natural conservation, importance and partly in the local wildlife site W218.”

Cllr Pritchard raised issues over safety, referring to ‘numerous explosions around the world’ and ‘scientists and environmentalists have raised serious concerns about explosions and fires’ and subsequent fire fighting activity seeing “poisonous water runoff into water courses”

“There is an issue here that these battery storage facilities are being rolled out with lightning speed without the checks and balances having been put in place”

“They should be licensed, there should be permits in place. We should not just be granting planning permission when we don’t understand what’s in front of us. ”

Cllr Pritchard said he was ‘staggered’ there had been ‘no consultation with the fire service’.

Planning Committee Chair Cllr Mike Morris pointed out the previous application was a material consideration and entirely relevant as the new application was a modification of it.

The Planning Officer echoed the point, adding: “Refusing this application would not prevent a battery storage facility been undertaken at the site, the applicant could proceed with with the original decision with the original proposal” explaining councillors in 2021 had decided to approve a 52 unit ‘double stacked’ system, whereas this new application would see 30 single stacked.

The Officer told the meeting that fire risk was aside from Planning and would come under any relevant ‘separate legislation’. Cllr Morris referred to the documents before the committee, “The Health and Safety Executive do not advise against the granting of planning permission”.

Cllr Trevor Bates gave some on-the-ground experience of newly installed solar panels, and therefore batteries, at his village hall saying there was ‘some heat coming out of them’ and backed concerns around fire that had been raised.

Cllr I David Bithell also raised issues around firefighting but was told councillors were entering the ‘realms of things which are dealt with by other regulatory processes’ and steered back on course to decide an application ‘which is essentially an amendment to an existing scheme’.

Cllr Frank Hemmings said he was unaware of battery stations that had burst into flames, but said he was not a regular news watcher.

Readers may recall a huge explosion and fire at the Carnegie Road Battery Energy Storage site in Liverpool made national news in September 2020, with a report into the fire stating the site that had just 4 containers saw a ‘thermal runaway’ and explosion blowing container parts 23m away.

A report explained how hydrant fed water supplies were “inadequate to meet the needs of the ongoing firefighting” and defensive firefighting continued on site for a total of 59 hours.

A suggestion of a site visit did not progress, so a vote was taken which saw the application pass nine votes to two.

Much was made of the main previous application which was given the green light by the committee back in 2021. The meeting in 2021 can be found here, with the ‘expired’ webcast (the same day it was announced Wales would move fully into alert level one during pandemic response).

That application saw a summary of feedback from 2021 as follows:

Esclusham Community Council: No objections
Local member: Cllr P Pemberton raises no concerns
Highways: No objections
Public protection: No objection subject to comments and
conditions
Contaminated Land: No comments
Natural Resources Wales: No objection subject to conditions
Welsh water: No objection subject to comments
HSE: Do not advise against granting of
permission on safety grounds.
Cadw: No objections

Now in 2023 the planning document noted:

Community Council
Raises no objection.
Local Member
Notified 20/4/2023. No response received.
Highways Officer
Raises no objection. The Highway Officer notes that the proposed
development is for a revised layout to a previously consented scheme.
Tree Officer
Raises no objections and agrees with the findings within the Arboricultural
Report submitted. The Tree Officer advises that the trees proposed for
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OFFICER ECONOMY AND PLANNING – 24 JULY 2023
removal are of low amenity value and mitigation for loss of habitat may be
provided by a landscaping secured by a planning condition.
The Tree Officer also advises that trees to be retained should be protected in
accordance with the submitted Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS).
Ecology Officer
Raises no objection subject to a condition to require the implementation of
ecological mitigation.
Contaminated Land Officer
Raises no objections. The Contaminated Land Officer confirms that they
accept the findings of the submitted Stage 1 Geo-environmental Assessment
Report and that no contaminated land conditions are required.
Public Protection Officer
Raises no objections. The Public Protection Officer confirms that they accept
the findings of the submitted Noise Impact Assessment. Advisory notes
regarding dust management, demolition construction noise and burning of
waste are recommended.
CADW
Raises no objection to the proposed development.
HSE
Do not advise, on safety grounds, against the granting of planning permission.
Natural Resources Wales
Raise no objections subject to a condition in respect of Great Crested Newt
mitigation and to secure a Construction Environmental Management Plan that
includes biosecurity measures to control invasive species and prevent
pollution measures.
NRW advises that the development is acceptable in landscape and visual
terms with respect of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB
A CEMP has been submitted and NRW have been re-consulted.
Welsh Water
Raise no objection or comments.
National Gas
National Gas confirm there are no National Gas Transmissions assets
affected by the proposed development.
Neighbours
The owners/occupiers of 32 properties were notified on 25/4/2023
7 representations have been received raising objections