Electricity battery farm plan for outskirts of village rejected

A LARGE electricity battery farm on the outskirts of a village has been rejected due to the potential loss of high quality agricultural land.

- By EDDIE BISKNELL Local democracy reporter

The plans, from Innova Renewables Developments, were for a 12-acre operation comprising 242 three-metre-high containers off Twyford Road, south of Stenson.

At a South Derbyshire District Council meeting on Tuesday, councillors rejected the scheme by a vote of nine to zero, with two abstensions, against the advice of officers.

An assessment of the land found a third to be of good agricultural quality and two thirds moderate quality.

Councillors claimed the project would be better on the former Willington Power Station site but were told the owner was not willing to sell or lease the plot.

They also said the planned 50-year "temporary" facility would be longer than the remaining lifetimes of most people living nearby and in the council chamber.

A total of 35 objection letters were submitted by residents opposing the plans, raising concerns about visual impact, noise and light pollution, flooding and health hazard fears.