BESS sites are predominately made of shipping containers, roughly 2.5m high, and can be screened relatively easily using bunding and landscaping methods, such as trees and hedgerows. The most likely part of the site to be visible will be the electrical infrastructure from the onsite substation, which will have an appearance not uncommon with the backdrop landscape. A Landscape Visual Impact Assessment will be submitted with the full planning application to assess any visual impact.

BESS sites are under frequent scrutiny regarding fire safety, due to the large quantities of lithium-ion batteries in a confined space. Fire mitigation is therefore at the forefront of considerations at all sites like this one. The National Fire Chiefs Council provide the following advice to all developers of BESS sites. The summary of fire safety measures are as follows:

Engagement with local fire authority and planning authority with emergency response plans, fire water management strategies and fire safety management plans

Separation distances or thermal barriers between all equipment, including the battery containers

Fire detection, monitoring and prevention systems installed within all battery modules

Sufficient ventilation (cooling fans) to maintain temperatures for all potential scenarios

Water supply – onsite to meet the demand of the local fire authority, e.g. hydrants or water tanks

Multiple access routes and space within compounds to ensure fire engines have access to and within the site

Grenergy have taken all advice on-board to produce a design which aligns with this guidance and is detailed in the documents submitted with the full planning application.

There will be several large vehicle movements during the construction of the project. Through careful route planning and traffic management, we will work to minimise the impact to the local community. Once the site is operational, site traffic will be reduced to roughly 1-2 vans per week. A full Construction Transport Management Plan is to be submitted with the planning application.