A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) has been approved for construction on Green Belt land in Havering, despite local controversy and concerns over the impact on the Green Belt's openness. The Havering Council Strategic Planning Committee granted planning permission for the project, proposed by Clearstone Energy Ltd, at a meeting on Thursday 10 July 2025.
The application, P1498.24, concerns land adjacent to St Mary's Lane, Ockendon, and seeks permission for a 200MW BESS, designed to store electricity and release it back into the grid during peak demand. The development is planned for a temporary period of 40 years.
The decision was made despite the site's location within the Metropolitan Green Belt and the Thames Chase Community Forest, where such developments are typically considered inappropriate. The application was called in by local ward councillors, highlighting the contentious nature of the proposal. Councillors Oscar Ford, Christopher Wilkins and Jacqueline Williams raised concerns that the development did not meet the very special circumstances required for Green Belt proposals, represented a loss of productive agricultural land, and could negatively affect the water table and surface drainage, potentially leading to local flooding. They also cited the proximity to properties and businesses, the visually intrusive nature of the proposal, and public/resident concerns including health and safety risks associated with battery storage in close proximity to properties. The report states that The issues raised are addressed in the context of the report.
According to the meeting's report pack, Clearstone Energy argued that very special circumstances (VSC)
justified the development. These circumstances include the project's contribution to renewable energy generation, energy security, and climate change mitigation. The report also stated that the development would lead to a biodiversity net gain. The LBH Ecology Consultant supported the submitted Biodiversity Net Gain Summary Report Rev A February 2025 and Biodiversity Net Gain Statutory Biodiversity Metric calculation tool Rev A February 2025. Habitat maps in the Biodiversity Net Gain report now cover the whole site, and condition assessments have been added to the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA).
The committee's report recommended granting planning permission subject to several conditions, including a time limit, a scheme for decommissioning and restoration, landscaping, noise protection, and drainage. A supplementary agenda item added a condition requiring a detailed Battery Safety Management Plan (BSMP). The specific components and monitoring/enforcement details of the BSMP were not provided in the meeting information.
While Clearstone Energy offered a community benefit fund of £50,000 per annum, officers advised that this offer did not meet the tests of planning obligations. The supplementary agenda clarified that this fund was a voluntary contribution and not a material planning consideration.
The Strategic Planning Committee, composed of Councillors Reg Whitney, Chair, Councillor Robby Misir, Member Champion for Equalities & Diversity, Councillor Ray Best, Councillor Jane Keane, Councillor John Crowder, and Councillor Timothy Ryan, reviewed the application against local and national planning policies.