Stroud District Council has decisively rejected a contentious proposal to alter the design of a 36-megawatt battery storage facility near Slimbridge Wetland Centre. The initial project, approved last year, included 24 battery storage containers, inverters, a 132kw transformer, and a small substation on an almost two-acre site north of Kingston Road.
Slimbridge Energy Ltd sought permission to rotate the transformer by 180 degrees and significantly enlarge the substation. Their plan also involved reducing the number of containers from 22 to nine. However, the council’s development control meeting on June 17 concluded that the scale and appearance of the proposed distribution network operators (DNO) building were unsuitable for the countryside setting.
Council officers described the building as “unsympathetic, highly visual and incongruous,” while Councillor Lindsey Green criticized it as “overbearing.” She expressed concern that the building’s increased height and size would no longer be concealed by hedging, detracting from the natural character of Slimbridge and potentially posing a fire safety risk. Green emphasized that the plans violated local planning policies.
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Highlighting community worries, Slimbridge Parish Council chairman Mike Stayte voiced strong opposition to the expansion. He pointed out that the building’s increased height would dominate the landscape and is ill-suited adjacent to the Wetland Centre, nearby village, and campsite. Stayte also cited safety concerns, noting the site’s single access road could become a critical bottleneck in an emergency.
Conversely, Angela Watts, speaking in favor of the application, clarified that the building’s increased size was driven by National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) requirements, not the applicant. She explained that recent changes to design guidelines mandated a larger substation, and the height increase was approximately 90 centimeters. Watts also revealed ongoing discussions to seek NGED approval for a smaller building size and suggested using green-painted steel to blend with the landscape. She urged the council to defer a decision to allow submission of a revised proposal.
Despite the applicant’s requests, Councillor Gary Luff acknowledged the necessity of battery storage in addressing the climate crisis but stressed the importance of adhering to proper planning procedures. He warned that deferrals could discourage applicants from submitting accurate proposals initially.
Ultimately, the council voted unanimously to reject the revised plans, prioritizing the protection of the local environment and community interests.