Views are shared on battery plant ruling

GREEN belt protection, the community and environment, construction jobs, utility company profits and benefits for local people were among the themes in a Rossendale Council debate about a proposed energy storage site east of Scout Moor.

- BY ROBBIE MACDONALD

The plan by Cubico UK Development Ltd for a battery energy storage system on land at Rochdale Road and Bamford Road, near Turn village, was refused by Rossendale’s development committee. The debate highlighted many topics on councillors’ minds.

Crucially, most councillors said they were not convinced that very special circumstances exist to justify building on the green belt. Nearby Rossendale School, road safety, fire risks and site access were raised too.

Green Party Coun Bob Bauld had mixed feelings about the application. He said: “I think mention of the school has been quite emotive. This is not children skipping down a lane. It’s not a narrow lane and it’s off the main road. I don’t think it’s part of the argument.

“As a Green Party councillor, 1 would hope we'd be able to move forward with embracing new technology. However, there quite a few uncertainties with this. When I visited the site recently, I thought yes, let’s get on with it. But if these guys are just there for the money, that's a separate thing to consider.

“However, if we don’t move to renewable energy technology, there won't be a green belt in the future. Rossendale Council has to think about the bigger picture.

“Yes, it's a beautiful site but you can also see 20 or 30 existing wind turbines on the horizon. Generally, that’s the direction the council needs to move on. But we might not make that move with this plan, now.”