A 72 container lithium ion battery energy storage system near Heath village in Wakefield has been approved on appeal by the UK Planning Inspectorate. The decision overturns a unanimous rejection by Wakefield Council last July. The inspector ruled that the need for grid storage to support renewable energy and net zero targets far outweighs the low level of harm to the green belt and heritage assets. Harmony Energy, the developer, argued the site qualifies as grey belt and will help reduce reliance on imported energy. More than 2,000 residents, local MPs, and heritage groups opposed the project citing harm to the Grade II listed Dame Mary Bolles Water Tower and the Heath conservation area. The inspector acknowledged the heritage impact but said it was reversible and temporary. The ruling highlights the tension between local planning concerns and national energy policy, especially as Wakefield Council has not allocated any sites for renewable energy in its latest Local Plan. The project will use 72 containers for lithium ion batteries connected to the National Grid.
