A - Planning Application 23-0018-PP Well Street battery storage
Renfrewshire Council · 23 May 2023
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 23 May 2023 and its agenda
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 1 Planning Application: Report of Handling Reference No. 23/0018/PP Agenda Item ( ) KEY INFORMATION Ward: 4 – Paisley North West Applicant: Lark Gas Assets Ltd Registered: 19/01/2023 RECOMMENDATION Grant subject to conditions Report by Head of Economy & Development PROSPECTIVE PROPOSAL: Erection of a battery energy storage system. LOCATION: Former Gasholder Station at Junction with Underwood Road, Well Street, Paisley APPLICATION FOR: Full Planning Permission © Crown Copyright and database right 2021. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100023417. IDENTIFIED KEY ISSUES The proposed development accords with the relevant policies within National Planning Framework 4 and the adopted Renfrewshire Local Development Plan 2021. There have been no objections from consultees. There have been no representations. Alasdair Morrison Head of Economy & Development
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 2 REPORT OF HANDLING FOR APPLICATION 23/0018/PP SITE ADDRESS Former Gasholder Station at Junction with Underwood Road, Well Street, Paisley PROPOSAL Erection of a battery energy storage system. RECOMMENDATION Grant subject to conditions PROPOSALS This application seeks planning permission for the installation of a battery energy storage system on the site of a former gas distribution station at Underwood Road, Paisley. The site is bound by Well Street to the north with industrial units beyond, the B775 Underwood Road to the east, the Glasgow-Gourock railway line to the south with residential properties beyond, and airport car parking to the west. Boundary treatment comprises of a 2m high stone wall along the Well Street and Underwood Road frontages, with a palisade fence to the south and west. The site is currently occupied by a redundant gas holder frame which is A listed. The proposed energy storage system comprises of 28 battery storage containers which will be positioned within the footprint of the gasholder frame. The containers are 2.98m in height. Seven transformer units and fourteen component containers (all 2.72m in height) will be grouped in the southwestern corner of the site, with the control room (3.25m in height), substation (3.79m in height) and other storage buildings grouped at the northwestern corner adjacent to the access from Well Street. This area also includes parking for vehicles. The existing boundary walls and the trees along the southeastern boundary will be retained. There is a requirement for a 3.5m acoustic fence along the western boundary. Internal fencing will separate the batteries from the control room and substation. When fully charged the proposed battery storage system will be able to store up to 49.5MW of power which is equivalent to the demand from up to 10,000 homes over a two hour period. As the maximum generation capacity is in excess of 20MW the proposal is classed as a ‘major’ development. SITE HISTORY Application No: 23/0019/LB Description: Erection of battery energy storage system Status: Concurrent application pending consideration Application No: 22/0358/PN Description: Development of a battery energy storage system. Status: Accepted. Application No: 22/0337/EA
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 3 Description: Request for screening opinion as to the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment relating to the development of a battery energy storage system Status: Environmental Assessment not Required. Application No: 19/0553/LB Description: Removal of gasholder lifts and shell, and associated gas infrastructure and infilling of the tank to existing ground level, together with associated removals and works Status: Granted. Application No: 18/0330/PP Description: Erection of kiosk and 2.4m palisade security fence Status: Granted Application No: 17/0640/PP Description: Installation of a gas powered electricity generation plant and containerised electricity storage facility with associated security columns, gate, and fence. Status: Granted subject to conditions. CONSULTATIONS Health and Safety Executive – Do Not Advise Against. Communities & Housing Services (Environmental Protection Team) – No objection subject to conditions relating to noise. Chief Executive’s Service (Roads Development) – No objections subject to conditions regarding the upgrade of the main access to accord with the requirements of the National Roads Development Guide, and submission of a construction traffic management plan. Glasgow Airport Safeguarding – No objections. Informative required regarding the use of cranes. Network Rail – No objections. Historic Environment Scotland – No objections. Advise that discussions should be undertaken to help secure the ongoing maintenance of the gasholder frame. Paisley West and Central Community Council – Concern raised over ongoing maintenance of the gasholder frame and recommend that a condition be applied to ensure a maintenance plan is in place, and that maintenance of the gasholder frame is undertaken prior to the development being installed. Ferguslie Community Council – Reiterate the comments made by Paisley West and Central Community Council regarding the
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 4 requirement for a condition to secure the maintenance of the gasholder frame. REPRESENTATIONS None received. DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES Policy and Material Considerations Legislation requires planning decisions to be made in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In this instance, the proposal must be assessed against the following: Development Plan NPF4: Policy 1 - Tackling the climate and nature crises NPF4: Policy 2 - Climate mitigation and adaptation NPF4: Policy 7 - Historic assets and places NPF4: Policy 9 - Brownfield, vacant and derelict land and empty buildings NPF4: Policy 11 – Energy Renfrewshire Local Development Plan (2021) LDP 2021: Policy E3 - Transition Areas LDP 2021: Policy I4 - Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Developments LDP 2021: Policy ENV3 - Built and Cultural Heritage New Development Supplementary Guidance Delivering the Economic Strategy Delivering the Environment Strategy Delivering the Infrastructure Strategy ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT The proposed development has been screened against The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 to determine whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is required (see application 22/0377/EA). It is not considered that an Environmental Impact Assessment is required given the characteristics of the development and its location. PLANNING ASSESSMENT In considering the development plan, National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out the most up to date policy position. The proposed development will support the decarbonisation of the electricity grid and the associated reduction in fossil fuel based energy generation. Renewable energy generation is intermittent. However, the development will store surplus energy at times of high energy generation and low demand. The stored energy can then be distributed into the grid at times of low generation and high demand. The development will therefore contribute to tackling the climate crisis and climate mitigation as required by Policy 1 and 2. Policy 11 supports energy storage proposals in principle. In this
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 5 instance, given the site’s location, design and layout it is not considered that the proposed development would give rise to any significant impact on residential properties, visual amenity, public access, aviation, telecommunications, road traffic, hydrology, biodiversity, or trees. The applicant has amended the layout of the scheme to comply with pre-application advice from Historic Environment Scotland. The layout presented at the pre application stage showed the battery storage units within the frame of the gasholder. However, the transformer units were arranged in a circle on the outside edge of the gasholder frame. The layout was thereafter amended to group the transformer units in the south western corner of the site and away from the perimeter of the gasholder frame. The area around the gasholder frame is now more open in this regard, and the proposed infrastructure does not compromise its setting or block any external views of the gasholder. The setting of the A listed gasholder frame will therefore be suitably protected in compliance with Policy 7. The proposal will result in the sustainable redevelopment of a brownfield site in compliance with Policy 9. It is considered that the development accords with NPF4. In relation to the relevant policies in the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan (2021), the application site falls within the Underwood Road Transition Area. Policy E3 states that transition areas aim to support a mix of uses. Development proposals within transition areas require to be able to co-exist with existing uses, having no significant effect on the character and amenity of the surrounding area. It is noted that the principle of energy generation at this site has already been accepted through the approval of application 17/0640/PP. The proposed development is similar in character to this previous consented use. However, the associated noise, air quality and visual impacts are less pronounced. The development will facilitate the re-use of this vacant site. The challenges associated with re-using this site whilst retaining the gasholder frame should be noted. Energy generating uses are considered to be a viable and appropriate way of ensuring the site is re-used and the gasholder frame is retained. The infrastructure associated with the development will be predominantly screened by the existing boundary wall and the trees along the south eastern boundary. The development will not have a significant impact on the visual amenity of the area. There will be no adverse impact on neighbouring properties in terms of use, scale, disturbance, or air quality. An acoustic barrier is
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 6 proposed along the western boundary to mitigate any noise impact. This barrier is between the site and the airport parking to the west will not be readily visible from external locations. There have been no objections from the Environmental Protection team. It is not anticipated that the development will have a significant adverse impact on local infrastructure, and traffic generated by the development is minimal. There is also good accessibility to a range of sustainable travel modes. There have been no objections from Roads Development. There will be no adverse impact on the natural environment, and the applicant has confirmed that all existing trees on the site will be retained. In view of the above I am satisfied that the development complies with Policy E3. Policy ENV3 requires the setting of listed buildings to be protected. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) have offered no objection to the development. They note that the layout of the site has been amended to accord with their pre-application advice and have offered no objection to the development. HES, Ferguslie Community Council and Paisley West and Central Community Council have all raised the matter of the ongoing maintenance of the gasholder frame. The applicant has advised that the condition of the frame was last surveyed in 2017, and that some patches of corrosion were noted at that time. The applicant has confirmed that a maintenance plan for the frame will be prepared which updates the previous 2017 survey to identify current maintenance requirements, the methodology and timetable for the maintenance works, and a review mechanism for future maintenance. It is considered that the maintenance plan can be agreed as a condition of the planning permission, and that the implementation of a maintenance plan will address the matters raised by HES and the Community Councils. It should be noted that HES and the Community Councils have not objected to the principle of the development. In view of the above I am satisfied that the development complies with Policy ENV3. Policy I4 states that development proposals associated with renewable and low carbon energy, and the recovery of energy that would otherwise be lost, will be supported in principle. The majority of the assessment criteria within Policy I4 and the
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 7 associated development guidance on Delivering the Infrastructure Strategy have been considered above. Of the criteria that have not been assessed the development will not have a detrimental impact on any outdoor sports or recreational interests. Glasgow Airport Safeguarding have offered no objections with respect to the safe and efficient use of Glasgow Airport. As the development does not have a significant impact on visual amenity it is not considered necessary to place any restrictions or controls on the duration of the planning permission. However, it is considered that should the site no longer be used to store energy for a period of a year that the site should be restored to an appropriate condition and a planning condition can be imposed to control this matter. The development does not give rise to any cumulative impact with respect to any other similar existing or approved developments in the area. In view of the above I am satisfied that the development complies with Policy I4. In view of the above, it is considered that the proposal would accord with the relevant provisions of the Development Plan. There are no other material considerations. It is therefore recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions. RECOMMENDATION Grant subject to conditions Reason for Decision The proposal accords with the provisions of the Development Plan and there were no material considerations which outweighed the presumption in favour of development according with the Development Plan. Conditions 1. That the battery energy storage facility hereby approved shall operate at all times in accordance with the recommendations set out within the Outline Battery Safety Management Plan from Private Energy Partners dated March 2023. Reason: To ensure the safe operation of the facility in the interests of amenity. 2. That prior to the battery energy storage facility hereby approved becoming operational, the 3.5 m acoustic barrier as specified in the Noise Impact Assessment from ITPEnergised dated 2022-12-07 shall be installed at the site. The acoustic barrier shall thereafter be maintained at the site for the duration that the facility is operational.
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 8 Reason: To ensure noise impact is mitigated in the interests of residential amenity. 3. That prior to the commencement of development on site, the developer shall submit for the written approval of the Planning Authority a maintenance strategy for the gasholder frame. The strategy shall detail the condition of the frame and identify any current maintenance requirements, a methodology and timetable for undertaking the maintenance works, and a timetable detailing the ongoing survey and maintenance of the frame for the period that the battery energy storage facility is operational. The approved maintenance strategy shall thereafter be implemented on site, with all maintenance work and ongoing survey work undertaken in accordance with the agreed timetables. Reason: To ensure that gasholder frame is maintained in the interests of safeguarding built heritage assets. 4. That prior to the commencement of development on site, the developer shall submit specification and plan detailing the measures to be implemented on site to ensure all existing trees are protected during the construction phase. The protection measures shall accord with the recommendations set out within BS5837: 2012 Trees in Relation to Design, Demolition and Construction. All protection measures shall thereafter be implemented on site prior to construction works commencing and shall be maintained on site for the duration of the construction phase. If any trees require to be removed to accommodate the development, the specification and plan shall include details of compensatory planting to be undertaken to ensure that any trees that are felled are replaced by trees of a similar species. The specification and plan shall detail the locations of the replacement planting, and the size and species of tree to be planted. The approved replacement trees shall thereafter be planted in the approved location within the next planting season (October to March inclusive) following completion of the development hereby approved. If the replacement trees die, become diseased or uprooted within 5 years of being planted they shall be replaced within the next planting season. Reason: To ensure existing trees are protected in the interests of safeguarding natural heritage assets. 5. The design, installation and operation of any plant, machinery or equipment associated with the operation of the battery energy storage facility shall be such that noise associated with the development does not exceed Noise Rating Curve NR25 between the hours of 2300 to 0700 hours and NR 35 at all other times, when measured within any dwelling in the vicinity of the development. Structure borne vibration from the proposed development shall be imperceptible within any dwelling in the vicinity of the development. For an explanation of noise rating curves, refer to BS 8233:2014 Sound insulation and noise reduction in buildings- code of practice, Annex B. Reason: To ensure noise impact is mitigated in the interests of residential amenity. 6. That prior to the commencement of development on site, the developer shall submit a plan for the written approval of the Planning Authority detailing the upgrading of the access onto Well Street in accordance with the requirements of the National Road’s Development Guide. This shall include (but shall not be limited to) resurfacing the access from the edge of the carriageway into the site for a distance of 5m, and the provision of drainage to ensure no surface water discharges onto the public road. The plan shall also include a
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Renfrewshire Council Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Page 9 timetable setting out when the upgrade works will take place. The upgrade works shall thereafter be undertaken in accordance with the approved timetable. Reason: To ensure the site is accessed safely. 7. That prior to the commencement of development on site, the developer shall submit a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) for the written approval of the Planning Authority. The CTMP shall detail the impact of the construction phase on the local road network. This shall include (but shall not limited to) duration of the construction phase, the method by which components will be delivered to the site, frequency and timing of deliveries, requirement for temporary signage, and provision for temporary car parking within the site boundary. The CTMP shall also include measures to minimise disruption to the local road network during the construction phase. The construction phase shall thereafter be undertaken in accordance with the approved CTMP. Reason: To minimise disruption to the local road network during the construction phase. 8. If any battery storage unit hereby approved fails to generate an electricity supply to the grid for a continuous period of 12 months then, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Planning Authority, the battery storage unit and any associated above ground infrastructure solely required for that unit shall be dismantled and removed from the site and the area around the unit restored in accordance with a scheme to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. Reason: To ensure that any redundant battery storage units are removed from site, in the interests of safety, amenity and environmental protection Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 - Background Papers For further information or to inspect any letters of objection and other background papers, please contact James Weir on 07483370666