Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor R. E. Lambert.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

Councillor A. Bailes explained that he was an Authority Member on the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFR) Board.

In response to the Council’s Legal Advisor, Councillor A. Bailes stated that he was not declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) and that he would determine the application with an open mind.

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 23^rd Jue 2025, were received for Members consideration.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 23^rd June 2025, be approved as a correct record.

It was noted that the Chairman had announced a 15 minute adjournment at the commencement of the meeting, in order for Members to read the three Committee Updates published during the afternoon of the meeting.

The Chairman asked Committee Members if they had had sufficient time to read all three Committee Updates, which had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting commencing, with a paper copy also made available to Members at the meeting.

Some Members indicated that they had not had sufficient time to read the detailed contents of all three Committee Updates.

Councillor J. Robinson stated to the Chairman, that it was ok if other Members had read all three Committee Updates, however, he felt that 15 minutes was not long enough for him to read the detailed information contained in all three Committee Updates, in order to determine the application. Councillor J. Robinson informed the Chairman that he would be leaving the meeting.

Councillor S. J. Baxter commented that she had read all three Committee Updates but could not fully understand all of the technical information as provided, it was too technical. A representative from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFS) should be in attendance to explain the technical information.

Councillor D. J. A. Forsythe further commented that 15 minutes was not enough time to read something that was highlighted to the applicants in 2024. In his opinion the application should be deferred until a full explanation was given to HWFS.

In response the Assistant Director for Planning, Leisure and Culture Services, stated that she could understand Members wanting to defer the application. However, Officers had received the questions / updates from HWFS at 09:30 a.m. that morning. Officers and the applicant had worked through the questions / updates and had responded to HWFS. Their detailed responses were included on the Public Access Planning Portal.

With the agreement of the Chairman, the Council’s Legal Advisor, asked the Committee to consider receiving the Officers detailed report and presentation,  the Public Speakers comments, then ask questions of Officers. If Members were still of the opinion that they could not make an informed decision, Members could then debate deferring the application and the reason(s) for deferring.

At this stage in the meeting, Councillor J. Robinson left the meeting room.

Councillor M. Marshall commented that Members had previously deferred this application, and that a second deferral could see the applicant appealing on the grounds of non-determination.

The Council’s Legal Advisor reiterated to Members, as detailed in the preamble above; to consider receiving the Officers detailed report and presentation, listen to the comments made by the Public Speakers, and then ask questions of Officers.  If Members were still of the opinion that they could not make an informed decision, Members could then debate deferring the application and the reason(s) for deferring.

Councillor S. J. Baxter further emphasised that Members were in receipt of the responses to the questions / updates requested by HWFS, which were requested at 09:30 a.m.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28/25

As detailed in the preamble above, Councillor J. Robinson left the meeting room prior to the consideration of this item.

Members had been made aware of the three Committee Updates, as detailed in the preamble above.

Committee Update One – detailed information  from National Grid (Asset Protection), public comments and the applicants comments.

Committee Update Two -detailed further comments regarding the proposed scheme, received on 29^th July 2025, from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFR); the responses from Grenergy Renewables UK; and the Local Planning Authority (LPA) commentary.

Committee Update Three -  detailed updates to Conditions 4 and 16, following a discussion with HWFR.

The Committee Updates were provided to Members and published on the Council’s website prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Officers presented the report and presentation slides, as detailed on pages 61 to 80 of the main agenda pack.

The application was for a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure.

The application site extended to approx. 3.8ha and lay to the south of Illey Lane, and comprised agricultural land and encompassed several fields, with the proposed development situated towards the middle of the site area.

Full planning permission was being sought for the erection of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to provide energy balancing services to the National Grid. The application proposed the erection of storage containers, support infrastructure and security fencing along with landscaping and associated works.

Members’ attention was drawn to the ‘Proposal’ information, specifically as to what the proposed development would comprise of, as detailed in paragraph 8.2, page 24 of the main agenda pack.

The battery units were laid out in 5 rows of 12 battery units, with 2 sets of power stations within each row. The frontage of the battery storage facility was a substation, switchgear buildings and monitoring room/office. Of the 3.8ha application site the developable area of the site was around 1ha.

Access to the site would be taken via an existing access point located along Illey Lane and would be upgraded as required to provide suitable access. The compound would be surrounded by a fence, with an appropriate landscaping scheme around the perimeter and the BESS. Remaining spacing outside the fence line would be utilised for new woodland, hedgerow and tree planting as well as rough/wildflower grassland

The proposed development would be time-limited to 35 years, after which time all infrastructure would be removed from the site.

This type of facility operated by taking excess electricity from the grid at times of low demand when energy would otherwise be lost, storing it in batteries, and releasing it back to the Grid when demand was high.

The point of connection (PoC) for the facility would be into the Kitwell Substation  which was located approximately 2km east of the application site on Kitwell Lane.

Members were informed that the applicant Grenergy Renewables UK Ltd were an Independent Power Producer (IPP) that designed, developed,  implemented and operated renewable energy plants on a large-scale across the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29/25

There was no urgent business to be considered.