More than 40 objections to huge battery storage site in Torridge
Devon's branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England says it is worried about the proposals
Devon's CPRE says it will be opposing plans for a new battery storage installation at Alverdiscott in the Torridge district.
The application, which can be viewed here, for a 99.4MW site with associated works, has already attracted more than 40 objections
The Campaign to Protect Rural England says 'there is no need' for it as the site would not be connected to the grid for at least 10 years, according to current data from the National Energy System Operator
The charity says that siting a battery installation with at least 50 industrial containers on land at Woodtown, East The Water, would neither ‘protect nor enhance the local landscape character’ and is counter to North Devon and Torridge planning policy.
Devon CPRE's Steve Crowther said: "There’s a growing cluster of solar farms and battery schemes around Alverdiscott and Stony Cross and local residents say ‘enough is enough’.
"They already have a fight on their hands, having formed the Bulworthy Solar Action Group in September 2025 to oppose plans for the largest solar farm and BESS scheme in Devon to date - 279 acres that would straddle two planning districts, Torridge and North Devon."
He added: “Alverdiscott has become a honeypot for investors wanting to cash in on the ‘solar and battery gold rush’. This latest proposal, if it gets approval, combined with the Bulworthy Solar Farm and BESS application that local people are already fighting, would make this a mega solar and battery site.
“The applicant claims that, because the many other renewable energy and infrastructure developments in the surrounding area are never present in the same viewpoint, the cumulative impact is very low. However, this ignores the fact that when travelling around the district, the plethora of installations have become a dominant feature of the landscape.”