Welsh Government Planning Inspectors to Decide Fate of Green Energy Battery Project on Historic Site Due to Missed Deadline by Wrexham Committee

Welsh Government planning inspectors will decide whether to approve a 5.5 hectare green energy battery on a historic site after Wrexham’s planning committee missed its determination deadline.
The Rhostyllen energy storage project proposes using agricultural land at Bronwylfa Road which in the 18th century was part of a farmstead where the Davies brothers’ smithy was located.
The case has gone to appeal after Wrexham Council’s Planning Committee failed to decide on the application within eight weeks of it’s final submission.
The committee will now meet on Monday to decide whether to oppose the development in front of Welsh planning inspectors or allow them to make a decision on the evidence before them.
The site was where the brothers created elaborate ironwork gates for Chirk Castle and Erddig Hall that are still in use today.
Applicant Innova Renewables Development wants to use 5.5 hectares of a 17 hectare parcel of land to install 118 energy storage system (ESS) units. An ESS is like a battery – each one is 3.5 metres tall and together they will store 400 megaWatts of electricity from nearby solar farms, enough to power around 100,000 homes for a year.
If approved the site will also feature a substation and cabling to receive energy and distribute it  to the National Grid via cables, with some planned to run under Offa’s Dyke.
The application was last amended on December 13, last year, giving Wrexham Council’s Planning Committee eight weeks to make a decision. Having missed that deadline, the case will now go to before the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) inspectors, where both sides will present evidence before a final decision is made.
The scheme has been opposed locally, with Esclusham Community Council raising concerns over the loss of high quality agricultural land the impact on local residents and flooding.
The plan has also received objections from 426 nearby residents raising concerns over a possible increased fire risk and proximity to the A483, however there were no objections from statutory consultees including Cadw, the North Wales Fire Service and others that would prevent the plan going ahead.
Wrexham’s own planning officers have even recommended approval.
“The proposed development would play an important role in supporting the
transition of the energy grid in Wales to one where the majority of energy is
generated by low carbon and renewable sources,” concluded Wrexham Council’s interim Chief  Economy and Planning Officer Matthew Phillips.
“As such, there is an overriding need for the development which is considered to outweigh the loss of BMV land within the site.”
Councillors will consider whether to formally oppose the plans with PEDW when Wrexham’s Planning Committee meets on Monday, March 2. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​