Balance Power wins consent for 49.5MW Radwell Bury battery storage site

Balance Power has secured planning permission from North Herts Council for a 49.5MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at Radwell Bury, Hertfordshire. 

The scheme is the latest from Balance Power, which has had a flurry of approvals in the last 12 months, and is designed to store surplus renewable electricity and discharge during peak demand to improve system resilience.

Its Radwell Bury project will comprise 48 battery units with a total storage duration of two hours. Balance Power says the installation will be capable of powering around 26,767 homes once operational and will ‘enhance the stability of the national energy system’. The company also estimates annual CO2 savings of about 18,281 tonnes. It equates those savings to removing approximately 13,115 cars from the road or planting 29,250 trees.

Approval followed an extensive consultation with the local community, parish and district representatives. Balance Power says it adapted the scheme during design to address feedback before the plans went to committee.

Ryan Stott, Connections Team at Balance Power, commented, “We’re pleased to have received unanimous approval for this vital project and appreciate the strong engagement from the community and local council throughout the process. As well as reinforcing national energy resilience, this site will contribute to local environmental goals and support the transition to a more sustainable future.

“It’s important to us that our developments leave a lasting positive legacy, and made sure we chose a site specifically out of the greenbelt, out of residential areas, and designed to enhance local biodiversity. We’re confident that Radwell Bury will deliver long-term value for both the community, the grid, and the local environment.

The firm expects a biodiversity net gain of 44.25% across the site, with planting and habitat measures to protect woodland belts, hedgerows and meadow grassland. At the end of life, it says that the batteries will be removed and the land restored to agricultural use, although to begin building the battery storage facility – the firm will first need to secure a grid connection date, which it says it’s currently working on.