Romsey Town Council objects to plans for battery storage facility

Masdar Arlington Energy has applied to Test Valley Borough Council for permission to construct a battery energy storage system (BESS) on land at Upton Lane, Nursling.

The application also concerns the construction of the supporting infrastructure for the site, including access, drainage and landscaping, with the applicants saying that the site will be used “for a temporary period of 40 years”.

Romsey Town Council’s planning committee discussed the plans on Thursday, October 24, deciding to lodge an objection.

Aerial map of the proposed site (Image: Stephenson Halliday)

READ MORE: Battle looming over golf club plans which would see increase in HGV traffic

 Cllr Mark Cooper said that he believed the application to be speculative. He said: “It is in the view of a Grade 1 listed building. A large electrical site is out of keeping (with the area).

“There are only two Grade 1 listed buildings in the area and it behoves us to try to protect it. So I object on the grounds that it is in an appropriate location. It is too close to this listed manor.”

Cllr Russell Theron agreed, saying: “I have said it before on other applications, we are becoming very electricity dependent, and we need infrastructure to deal with that and the extra dwellings that will be coming our way.

“But there is never a right place for these to go.”

Cllr Theron went on to say that was “shocked by the number of objections” the application received but noted that the majority of objections from residents seemed to be from letters that had been copied and sent in en masse.

He pointed out that the application had not contained information on which sort of batteries would be on the site, saying that the council would not be able to object to the site having lithium batteries.

Cllr Theron continued: “I think we need to be open-minded on these sorts of applications, and I think they will come up again. We do need them, and they have to go somewhere.”

Cllr Ian Culley said: “It is the wrong place. There should be zones that can accommodate this sort of site.”

SEE ALSO: Planning application for extension near Romsey sparks dispute between neighbours

Cllr Sandra Gidley said: “We have had a number of these applications at Southern Area Planning. I do not think the Grade 1 building is protected, but I do not have any evidence to say if that is the case.

“These applications are always very controversial because of the public concern.”

She added: “It says a temporary operation period of 40 years. I thought I would bring this up because a temporary period in my mind is 40 days!”

The council voted to object to the application, with two councillors abstaining from the vote.

More details on the application can be viewed by visiting the Test Valley Borough Council planning portal and searching using reference 24/02264/FULLS.