Blaby District Council has granted planning permission for Innova to construct a 908MW energy storage system (ESS) in Enderby, Leicestershire.
Renewables developer Innova put the Forest Road ESS forward for approval in September 2024. The utility-scale facility will connect to the National Grid substation at Enderby via underground cable.
The site will cover 10.4 hectares of low grade (Grade 3) agricultural land and comprise containerised battery storage units and associated infrastructure. According to planning documents, it will deliver a 38% biodiversity net gain and be operational for 50 years.
Innova has not given a projected date for site completion or commencement of operations, but the planning approval states a Battery Safety Management Plan (BSMP), including a risk reduction strategy and emergency response plan must submitted and approved by the District Planning Authority.
Planning documents also state that above ground development cannot begin until details of the materials (including colours) to be used for the development have been submitted to and agreed in writing by the District Planning Authority.
Innova has committed to setting up a community benefit fund that will deliver £45,400 annually, and an £18,160 charitable fund. Both figures represent an annual contribution of £50 to the local community and £20 charitable donation per MWp installed.
The UK government is currently holding a consultation on whether it will make provision of a community benefit fund a legal obligation.
Innova scored planning consent earlier this year for its Almhome Energy Hub project, a 49.9MW solar PV installation with a 1.025GW/2.05GWh battery energy storage system (BESS), which Innova states is the second largest BESS project to gain planning consent to date in the UK.
A total of 894 BESS containers will be installed on the site, alongside a large number of solar panels utilising bifacial photovoltaic cells.
