Location

As the National Grid transitions to a greener, cleaner system, modern substations up and down the country will require BESS systems like this one. This Site has been chosen primarily due to its proximity to the new National Grid Substation at the junction of Eastbourne Road with the A22.

Other factors that make this site suitable for BESS are:

  • Exclusively 3b (lower quality) land

  • Naturally well screened, however additional native planting has been planned

  • Single field, meaning hedgerows and woodland can be retained

  • Footpaths will not be affected

  • Avoids greenbelt

While we are confident that this is an appropriate location, our planning application will be accompanied with a robust suite of surveys and reports, including:

  • Planning, Design and Access Statement

  • Planning Application Drawings

  • Landscape and Visual Appraisal

  • Heritage Desk Based Assessment

  • Flood Risk Assessment / Drainage Strategy

  • Ecological Impact Assessment

  • Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment and associated DEFRA metric

  • Noise Impact Assessment

  • Transport Statement and Construction Traffic Management Plan

  • Arboricultural Impact Assessment

  • Fire Safety Strategy Report

  • ALC Report

  • Geotech Report

  • Statement of Community Involvement

  • Geophysics Report

  • Photomontages

Scroll on the map to zoom in and out

Other locations have been considered, and dismissed for varying reasons, including cabling, environmental, and legal constraints.

Access

The current plan is for HGVs to access from the South, following the A22, B2192, Palehouse Common, and Sand Hill Lane.

  • Construction is expected to take around 12 months. Noise would be minimal as the units are pre-fabricated off-site

  • All routes would be subject to a construction traffic management plan, which will be publicly available on submission

  • Once the site is operational it would be visited just once or twice a month, typically in a single 4x4 vehicle

  • An additional track to the north-west of the site would provide secondary access in the unlikely event that the primary access becomes temporarily unavailable

Wealden District Council:

Wealden District Council’s Climate Emergency Plan states:

“Battery storage […] can improve the efficiency of other systems, helping to improve the viability of renewable technologies, increase security of supply and save money.”

Green Wealden Objective:

“To promote Sustainable Development throughout the District.”

Objective 15 of Wealden’s 22 Sustainability Objectives is:

“Promote energy efficiency measures and encourage the use of renewable energy.”