Energy storage facility approved in Yaxley, near Eye, despite safety concerns, as Mid Suffolk councillors change their mind

Plans for a new energy storage system in a village have been approved despite safety concerns, after councillors changed their mind.

Mid Suffolk's planning committee members discussed plans to build a new battery energy storage system (BESS) on land south of Eye Airfield Industrial Estate, in Castleton Way, Yaxley, earlier today.

The plans, brought by Field Yaxley Ltd, would be in place for 40 years and have a capacity of 200 megawatts, consisting of 128 battery units, 28 twin-skid units, a substation, a control room, a switch room and welfare facilities.

A substation compound with transformers and underground cabling was included.

The development was originally discussed in April, when councillors decided they were minded to refuse the application due to public safety concerns over the plans' proximity to a gas pipeline.

As the planning officer's recommendation had been to approve the plans, this meant a final decision was deferred until a risk assessment could be carried out — the same recommendation was kept this time around.

Despite this, however, many of the same concerns which informed earlier objections from parish councils in Yaxley, Eye, Thrandeston and Mellis Parish Council, as well as eight residents, emerged again this morning.

Cllr Ian Luff, of Yaxley Parish Council, said although the council did not object to BESS facilities, this one was in the wrong place.

He said: "This is manifestly an unnecessary risk - it's there, it's concrete and undeniable.

"These are flammable units, whatever the precautions, and they are in a high-risk zone for no good reason."

Planning officers said other locations for the development were explored but deemed not viable due to limitations on where such developments could be.

Cllr Tim Weller, ward member, reiterated his concerns and said the new information did little to relieve local concerns.

Ian York, the applicant's agent, said the company understood the concerns but stressed the emergency plan would ensure safe and swift action in case of a fire.

As part of the new information, the company committed to offering a community benefit fund of £1,000 per megawatt per year - or up to £8 million over the project's lifetime.

The money would be used to support community projects, education and skills opportunities, as well as for direct investment in local infrastructure.

On top of this, it committed to running education programmes for schools close to the project to offer secondary school students information about the job opportunities available in the renewable energy sector.

Unlike last time, most councillors were more satisfied with the safety measures in place for the development after quizzing the agents on exactly what would happen in case of an emergency.

They overturned their earlier conclusion and voted to approve the plans subject to conditions, with six votes for and two against.

A further condition was added to require the emergency response plan to be in place and agreed to before construction could even begin.