Battery Energy Storage System plans near Lincoln turned down due to fire fears

Plans for a Battery Energy Storage System have been turned down due to fire concerns.

Councillors warned there could be ‘huge issues’ at a neighbouring oil plant if a fire ever broke out.

The 53MW storage system (known as a BESS) would have put 16 shipping container-sized batteries on land off Barfields Lane in Reepham, near Lincoln.

The applicant Fiskerton BESS says neither Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue nor the neighbouring businesses have raised concerns.

But West Lindsey District Council’s planning committee felt the new technology’s safety was difficult to guarantee, and said a fire could be catastrophic.

A meeting on Wednesday (December 4) voted down the application after visiting the site in person.

Coun Tom Smith (Con) said: “There are many things in this application which are too open to interpretation, and could have huge implications for aesthetics and safety.

“I’m not aware of another BESS in the county, so it’s hard for the fire service to object to something they’ve never dealt with before.

“There are far too many ‘what ifs’ and unanswered questions.

“I’m not confident where this is placed. The risks could be monumental, and a fire in this location could move very quickly.”

Coun John Barrett (Con) said the location was “totally wrong” and “the health and safety of the public should come first”.

Coun Ian Fleetwood (Con) said: “The more I hear, the more unhappy I am about it.”

He raised concerns about the second access to the site, saying it was too narrow to be suitable in an emergency.

Coun Owen Bierley (Con), who voted in favour, argued: “There are many less suitable sites than this one, and Barfield Lane narrow but well made.

“Battery storage systems are part of the important transition to carbon Net Zero.”

BESSs can store electricity produced by solar and wind until it’s needed in the grid.

James Cook, speaking for the applicant, said: “The scheme will enhance the rural economy and not conflict with neighbouring commercial uses.”

He said fire safety measures “minimises risk of thermal runaway” – a defect where BESS can overheat uncontrollably.

A BESS fire in Liverpool in 2020 took 59 hours to extinguish, although it’s the only known case of thermal runaway in the UK.

A 99MW BESS was also rejected by North Kesteven planners last month due to its location on prime farmland.