Construction and Operation

Throughout the construction and operational phases of the proposed battery storage development on Land at Frog Lane, BSR Energy is committed to ensuring that the impact to the local road network, and the local community is kept to a minimum.

The construction phase is expected to take approximately 9 months with the peak traffic movements during months 5-9. We would also see a slightly higher number of cars and vans associated with workers travelling to / from the site at this time.

During the construction phase a Construction Management Plan will be in place, to minimise any disruption to the surrounding area.

The measures that are likely to be taken to minimise disruption include:

  • The introduction of a dedicated construction compound running adjacent to the main site, with temporary matting to ensure that all vehicles have somewhere to make deliveries, to keep the road network free of waiting vehicles.
  • A dedicated site manager who will coordinate timed delivery slots.
  • Wheel washing to reduce mud on local roads as a result of vehicles exiting the site.
  • Restricted delivery hours to avoid busy periods.
  • Dedicated construction route agreed with County Highways

A CONSTRUCTION ROUTE MAP IS CURRENTLY BEING DRAWN UP AND WILL BE ADDED HERE ONCE AVAILABLE

Once the site is operational, it is anticipated that there will only be low levels of traffic accessing the site for maintenance purposes. It is therefore expected that the largest volume of traffic will be associated with the construction phase of the project.

If planning permission is granted, construction is expected to begin on site in 2030, as this is when the Distributed Network Operator (DNO) will be able to connect the facility. The DNO is a licensed company that owns and operates the network of cables, transformers, and towers that bring electricity from the national transmission network to businesses and homes, and so this connection is essential for the operation of the facility, in this case SSE.

Whilst the current connection date is 2030, this is worst case scenario. National Grid is currently exploring options to increase grid capacity, as this is desperately needed if the country is to meet key Net Zero targets. As such, should planning permission be grated, we hope to be provided with an updated connection date that is much sooner than 2030, hence why we are coming forward with the proposals now.

Fire Safety

BSR is aware that fire safety is a key concern for communities when battery storage facilities are proposed. BSR takes its responsibility for the health and safety of its sites incredibly seriously and is exploring the mitigations necessary to ensure the site’s long-term safety.

In light of the new guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), BSR has taken proactive steps to update its initial designs to reflect the changes.

The overall changes from the NFCC which BSR is now implementing across its proposals are:

  • A comprehensive risk management process undertaken by BESS operators, identifying specific hazards and risks, and developing, implementing, maintaining, and reviewing risk controls.
  • A robust Emergency Response Plan.
  • A minimum of 6 meters between units to act as a fire barrier.
  • Sufficient water supply to deal with a potential fire safely and effectively, with mitigations to the environmental impact of any run-off. Local fire and rescue services would be consulted regarding water volumes and flow rates.
  • A combination of fire suppression systems will be implemented, drawing from lessons learned in the wider industry.

BSR engaged in a pre-application consultation with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Service in November 2023. We have taken on board the feedback given and this has been fed into our design, we intend to continue to liaise with the service throughout the process.

BSR is also exploring additional mitigations following an initial discussion with the Parish Council and is committed to an ongoing review of fire safety precautions.