Planning permission has been granted for the development of a 400 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), despite previous objections from the local community.
The 200 MW/400 MWh 2-hour Harker project was today (18 July) granted “full planning permission for construction and installation” for the system and “boundary dancing, access track, landscaping and other associated infrastructure” by the Cumberland Council, after receiving partial approval last month.
The project, a joint development between Canadian Solar subsidiary Recurrent Energy and Northeast England-based developer Windel Energy, can now begin construction, although this is not expected to be until the fourth quarter of 2029 unless an accelerated date for connection to the electricity grid is agreed. The project, located between the villages of Todhills and West Linton, near Carlisle, will be connected to the Harker National Grid substation via an underground 400KV cable.
Under the approvals, the developers have agreed to several conditions, including the use of specific paving materials, limiting construction to between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, using lighting design that does not disrupt local bat populations, and strict noise abatement measures. .
Rockcliffe Parish Council had previously raised concerns about development in the area, asking developers to provide effective screening and noise reduction, noting that local waste management services working on previous projects “have not followed this advice and have received numerous complaints from parishioners. they have been active within the parish over the years.”
Planning officers noted the Parish Council’s concerns, but noted in an earlier report that “the council’s Environmental Health Officer does not share his concerns”.
Relapse on the rise
Recurrent Energy has made several big wins so far this year, having secured planning permission last month for a 9.9MW solar farm in Wales, which is also a joint project with Windel Energy.
In May, Recurrent successfully secured a €1.3 billion (£1.1 billion) multi-currency revolving credit facility from ten major banks to finance projects in the UK and across the EU.
Most recently, Recurrent’s Mallard Pass solar farm was finally granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) by the new Labor government, after it was first postponed by former Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Claire Coutinho, and then by the snap General Election announcement.
