Stone Town Council is set to consider a planning application for a small battery energy storage unit proposed on land next to the existing electricity substation on Brooms Road.
The application relates to a piece of land on the north east side of Brooms Road, close to Opal Way, and has been submitted by AMP Clean Energy. It will be discussed as part of the Town Council’s role as a statutory consultee on planning matters.
While Stone Town Council will review the proposal and can submit comments or objections, the final decision on whether planning permission is granted will be made by Stafford Borough Council.
What is being proposed
The application seeks permission for the installation and operation of a micro energy storage system, commonly referred to as a Battery Box.
The proposed unit would have a capacity of 200kW and 800kWh and would be installed on a concrete base, surrounded by a 2.4 metre high wire mesh security fence. The actual equipment would occupy around 24 square metres, roughly equivalent to two parking spaces, within a wider site area of 96 square metres.
The site is currently described as a vacant verge area and sits directly adjacent to the existing electrical substation.
What the Battery Box does
Battery Boxes are designed to store electricity from the local grid at times when demand is low or when there is excess renewable generation, such as during sunny or windy periods.
That stored electricity is then released back into the local electricity network during periods of higher demand, typically early evenings on weekdays. The electricity is intended to be used locally rather than being transmitted elsewhere.
According to the planning statement, the technology is aimed at helping balance supply and demand on local networks, reduce strain at peak times, and support the wider move towards renewable energy.
Construction and operation
If approved, construction is expected to take around four weeks. The electrical equipment would be manufactured off site and lifted into place, with a small number of heavy vehicle movements during the build period.
Once operational, the site would be monitored remotely. Routine visits would only be required for maintenance or in the event of a fault.
Environmental Health officers have raised no objection to the proposal, subject to conditions restricting construction hours to weekdays and Saturday mornings, to limit disturbance to nearby residents.
Environmental considerations
The application includes assessments covering noise, drainage, and ecology.
Noise reports submitted with the application indicate that sound levels from the equipment would be very low and well below levels typically associated with disturbance at nearby properties.
The council’s biodiversity officer has also confirmed that the proposal does not require biodiversity net gain measures, as the developed footprint falls below the national threshold and involves only a small area of managed grass.
What happens next
Stone Town Council will consider the application at its upcoming planning meeting and may submit comments to Stafford Borough Council based on local considerations.
Stafford Borough Council will then take those comments into account, alongside consultation responses from other statutory bodies, before making the final planning decision.
As with all planning applications, residents can view the full documents online via Stafford Borough Council’s planning portal – application 25/41276/FUL.
