A controversial battery energy storage site (BESS) proposed for the Vale of York would not have a significant impact on the landscape and would not be a risk to health, it has been claimed.
New documents have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council on plans for a 1GW facility on 72 hectares of farmland at South Kilvington, near Thirsk.
Consultants acting for applicants NatPower have drawn up a screening report which asks the council to rule on whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is needed to accompany any planning application for the scheme.
The document argues that an EIA is not required due to the type of project, the location of the site and the proposed mitigation measures.
Campaigners opposing the development say the development would spoil the views from Sutton Bank, which is around five miles away and features a North York Moors National Park visitor centre.
But the report states that the scheme would have no effects on nationally designated sites.
While the documents say that the proposal has the potential to result in a change to the “immediate local landscape character”, it notes that existing overhead powerlines and pylons in the area mean the development would not be out of character.
It adds: “Overall, no significant landscape or visual effect are considered likely as a result of the development.”
The report claims that any risk to human health would be limited to dust, noise, traffic and the risk of pollution during the construction phase, which it says would be controlled by good practice measures.
Local residents have also raised concerns about the risk of fire at the storage site, but the report states that the plant would be equipped with “active fire protection measures, as well as fire suppression measures”.
The report advises that mature trees, woodland and hedgerows would be retained to support bird life.
Existing hedgerow gaps would be filled and an area of wetland would be created, which would be accessible from a permissive footpath.
The document concludes: “The proposed mitigation measures outlined in this screening report would control and reduce potential effects associated with the project.
“Overall, it is not considered that the project constitutes EIA development, and the production of an environmental impact assessment report is not considered to be required.”
London-based NatPower, which described itself as a clean energy enabler, is aiming to build 13 so-called ‘gigaparks’ across the country.
The battery plants store electricity from the grid at times of lower demand and release it back to the grid when it is needed most.
Proposals for a similar scheme are being drawn up for land at East Rounton, between Yarm and Northallerton.
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