Controversial plan for battery storage unit "premature", council told

Rotherham Council is to consider plans for the development, which would take up Green Belt land off Hard Lane, at Kiveton Park.

The site is between that village and Harthill and dozens of individual residents have contacted the council to complain about the impact it would have.

It has also generated an objection from Rother Valley MP Jake Richards, who represents the area.

He wrote to register a formal objection to the development, known as a Battery Energy Storage System, describing the application as “premature”.

His letter states the application is presented as a standalone project, but stated: “This development cannot - and should not be - looked at in isolation.

“There is a much larger project called Whitestone, which is currently being pursued as a Nationally Signficant Infrastructure Project.

“That development, covering thousands of acres, would be the largest solar installation ever attempted in the UK.

“Allowing this batter site to go ahead before the full Whitestone scheme has been properly scrutinised would be premature, and I believe, irresponsible.

“While the BESS may appear relatively modest on paper, it is clearly a crucial part of a much wider energy infrastructure network that will have far-reaching impacts on Kiveton and the surrounding areas.”

Mr Richards emphasised that he supports the transition to clean power, but added: “Until the full details of the Whitestone project are available, and the overall impact on Kiveton is properly understood, it would be entirely inappropriate to approve this application.”

He also warned that doing so could “set a dangerous precedent for how large-scale energy projects are introduced into our communities.”

Other objections include a petition, which raises questions over the historic significance of the site involved, with a suggestion that it contains the remains of a 15th Century water mill, and possibly as old as the 13th Century, with evidence of Roman activity also previously found.

The development site is near an electricity sub-station which, submissions state, has been involved in two fires previously.