CONTROVERSIAL plans for a 'ugly' battery storage site near Romsey have been firmly rejected by borough councillors.
Anglo Renewables Ltd's application for a facility capable of delivering 50MW of stored electricity was rejected unanimously, with concerns raised over its potential harm to the landscape and environment.
The meeting took place at Romsey's Crosfield Hall on Tuesday, June 10.
Cllr John Parker said: "I have two concerns, along with my colleagues about this particular planning application. The first one, obviously, is the impact on the landscape and it will be harmed for a considerable period of time [...] for the life expectancy of the site."
He continued: "The thing that really worries me is this potential for pollution of the River Test [...] I get the feeling that each of the relevant agencies have looked at it from one perspective.
The site plan for the battery storage facility near Romsey (Image: Anglo Renewables Ltd)
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"The fire services are happy they can put the fire out and, somehow, the water will disappear; the flood authority are happy its not going to get flooded because they've looked at the flood maps; the Environment Agency, I'm not quite sure what they're saying; and Natural England seem to be [...] a bit 'wishy-washy.'
"Unless someone can give me a holistic view of the likelihood of fire pollution on that site, I would refuse [...] I cannot be convinced that it won't happen."
The facility was to be next to the Nursling Industrial Estate, at the junction of Mill Lane and Weston Lane and intended to operate for 40 years.
The application was previously deferred by councillors on Tuesday, April 8, so landscape officers could complete a report.
Cllr Alan Dowden said: "There's been so much debate about this particular application [...] I think I would like to see [...] a test case on this.
"I would like to see it refused - I'm sure they will go to appeal because they've got government policy on their side. But, it would be interesting to see what an inspector thinks about that, particularly with all the other sites in the vicinity.
In the update paper presented to councillors, a new application for a battery storage facility only 600m north of the site had been submitted.
Planning officers said in the report: "There is no intervisibility between the two sites and each application is required to be assessed on its own merits. It is not considered there is any materially substantive in combination effect to justify the refusal of planning permission."
To find out more about the application, go to Test Valley Borough Council's planning portal and search 23/03055/FULLS.