Parish councillors objecting to plans for a battery energy storage system (BESS) on farmland near Northallerton have described the technology as “toxic chemical plants”.
Balance Power Projects Ltd has applied for planning permission to build the facility on land at Fence Dike Lane, Scruton.
The scheme would include 48 battery storage units, together with 12 inverter and transformer modules, a transformer, control and welfare buildings, a private substation, storage facilities and security fencing.
The site would be connected to the nearby Leeming Bar Substation, around 250 metres to the north.
Developers say the battery storage system would store surplus electricity, particularly from renewable sources such as wind and solar farms, before supplying it back to the grid during periods of high demand.
The application states this would help improve grid stability, reduce reliance on fossil fuel generation and support the government’s net-zero ambitions.
The site of the proposal is next to Scruton Solar Farm, which is currently being built and also includes plans for a BESS.
The plans have attracted objections from 33 local residents, with four writing in support.
Scruton and Kirkby Fleetham with Fencotes Parish Council has also filed an objection.
It said: “After careful consideration and debate, the Kirkby Fleetham with Fencotes Parish Council have agreed that, whilst it does not oppose the basic principle of battery storage solutions at a national level, it does have serious concerns relating to positioning, design, strategic necessity and risks of environmental contamination.”
Its specific concerns include the “loss of valuable farm land, the inappropriateness of the location and, most important of all, the potential for significant and lasting harm to the surrounding area in the event of a battery fires and vapour cloud explosions”.
“It is our wish that the application be refused,” it added in its response to North Yorkshire Council.
In its objection, Scruton Parish Council describes BESS as “toxic chemical plants” that are inappropriate for a rural location.
It also argued that the proposed BESS was unnecessary and would result in the permanent loss of high-quality agricultural land at a time when food security should be a national priority.
Councillors claim there is no need for the development, pointing to existing battery storage capacity associated with the nearby Scruton Solar Farm, and what they described as a wider surplus of battery storage projects awaiting grid connection.
The developers say the scheme would operate largely automatically and be monitored remotely, with only occasional maintenance visits once operational.
Construction would take between eight and 10 months, with a temporary increase in construction traffic before activity reduces significantly once the site is complete.
The application seeks permission for the development to remain in place for 40 years, after which the equipment would be removed and the land restored.
Supporting planning documents say extensive landscaping, biodiversity enhancements and drainage measures are proposed to reduce the visual and environmental impact of the scheme.
It also includes an outline fire safety management plan, with developers stating that modern battery systems include monitoring technology and automatic fire suppression systems designed to minimise risk.
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