New battery energy storage facility in Nursling blocked
Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) has refused the application
Last updated 13th Jun 2025
A new battery energy storage facility in Nursling has been blocked, due to the “detrimental” impact on the landscape of the area.
Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) has refused the application to build a battery energy storage facility at the junction of Mill Lane and Weston Lane in Nursling, next to the Nursling Industrial Estate.
Anglo Renewables Ltd lost its bid to build 32 battery storage units, 16 power control units, a substation, an auxiliary transformer, and two control rooms that would have delivered up to 50MW of stored electricity over 40 years.
The application was deferred in April since the landscaping officer was not at the meeting and could not present the landscaping report.
At the rescheduled meeting on June 10, objectors once again spoke about the impact on the community if the proposal were granted.
Resident Alisson Fisher urged the council to refuse the “appalling”, “highly visible”, and “eyesore” application due to the irreversible polluting impact on the ecosystem of the River Test.
On behalf of the Old Nursling Residents Association, Neil Henley also highlighted the risk of the battery storage units to the environment in case of fire and spill.
He said that in the event of a fire, lithium batteries would release hazardous substances such as cyanide into the soil and the river’s stream, polluting it and endangering the already endangered chalk stream salmon population that lives in the river.
“Do you want to be responsible for the decision that destroyed them?”
Cllr Terese Swain, for her part, said the borough council’s local plan highlights the importance of preserving the landscapes as well as protecting the biodiversity of the Test Valley; “this application is against these policies”, she said.
She added that the application will introduce a large industrial feature into “this quiet, pleasant countryside location”.
The Environment Agency (EA) objects to the application on matters related to flooding and the impact of climate change, but not the impact on the landscape.
TVBC said that after speaking with the EA, those matters raised were “very straightforward to resolve.”
Although no other formal complaint from statutory consultees objected to the proposal, after a long debate, TVBC councillors decided to unanimously refuse the application due to the impact on the character of the area.
However, officers indicated that in refusing a planning application, it should be based on evidence that can be presented to the planning inspectorate. In this case, there were no objections.
TVBC officers said: “I don’t know where the expert evidence that the council can present to the planning inspector that demonstrates this application represents a harm to the local area or the River Test.”
He added that while there is a recognition that if the proposal gets approved, there would be harm to the character and landscape of the area, the impact is “level to moderate”.
“We concluded that the benefits of the scheme far outweigh the impact”, he said.
The officer indicated that, although councillors wanted to defend the case based on landscape impact, there is no evidence that it would contravene the policies, as there are no objections from the consultees.
“It’s nearly impossible to present a case. I would say you are putting the council at significant risk in terms of cost. It is not a defensible reason for refusal. We have no evidence to offer.”
Chairman of the committee, Cllr Mark Cooper, said: “On balance, the committee believes the detrimental impact on the area outweighs the benefits of the application.”
The application was refused.