Access to the site for construction and maintenance will be via the existing Windermere Road.
New and existing mature hedgerows and woodland will help screen the site and the site’s topography will prevent any visual impact to nearby Hesledon Moor West.
Locating energy storage within those areas of highest energy demand, such as the north-east of England, supports the resilience of our electricity system and provides security of supply to ensure there is sufficient energy available to meet periods of peak demand.
The Hawthorn pit National Grid substation (approx. 600m northwest of the site) is a major grid supply point and has near term connection capacity available for a BESS project of this size. Locating the BESS site here close to the National Grid substation reduces cabling disruption.
This project presents an opportunity to deploy much needed battery storage to support energy security both locally and nationally. It will also assist the Council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2045.
The site does not fall within the green belt or any protected landscape areas. Given the importance of this vital infrastructure and the necessity to place the BESS near to a substation with capacity, we feel the proposal is acceptable at this site’s location.
