Travellers join campaign to stop energy storage farm being built near their homes at Heath Common

Members of the travelling community living at the site on Heath Common, in Wakefield, have given their backing to a protest group set up to fight the proposals.

Harmony Energy has submitted plans to build the Battery Energy Storage Site (BESS) on greenbelt land adjacent to the traveller site.The site is also close to historic parkland at Heath Common and the City Fields development.

Residents groups say the BESS would pose a serious fire or explosion risk to nearby homes, previously describing it as ‘a bomb waiting to go off’.

More than 30 objection letters have been handed to Wakefield Council on behalf of the travellers by their ward councillor Julie Medford.

The travellers say it would have a huge impact on their day-to-day lives and spoil the greenfield site forever.

The site is close to where they tether their horses all year round.

Coun Medford She said: “This plan for a huge Battery Energy Storage Site in this location, so close to people’s homes and in an area loved by so many across the city and beyond, will have an unprecedented impact on everyone – but it is the travellers living here that will be the most affected.

“The constant noise, the environmental impact and the potential fire hazard of 60-plus shipping size containers full of batteries so close to their homes will have a lasting effect on their health and wellbeing and a huge impact on their daily lives.

“I am pleased to have been able to play my part in ensuring their voices are heard on this issue.”

The total number of objections submitted to Wakefield Council now stands at more than 680, with 11 in support.

Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood and Yvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley, have also submitted a joint objection letter.

The letter urges the local authority to reject the proposal and to work with Harmony Energy to find a more suitable site for the application.

The ‘I Love Heath Common’ social media campaign set up to fight the plan has so far reached 61,000 people online.

A spokesperson for the group said: ” We know this country needs to have a proper debate about our long-term energy security and storage, but this plan is the wrong plan in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“The technology for storing energy is still in its infancy, it is unregulated, and has proven to be dangerous on so many occasions worldwide already.

“It would be a travesty to site this so close to people’s homes and travelling caravans, and it would rip up this historic heritage landscape forever.”

Harmony Energy says such projects are needed to meet the “monumental challenge” of global climate change and to meet ambitious Government ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emission targets by 2050.

A statement from the company said: “The development is necessary to combat climate change, at a time when energy security and pricing are two of the most important issues households and this country are facing.

“It is indisputable that utility scale energy storage schemes are required to make the transition to a net zero economy and provide energy security.

“They will only become more essential as the UK looks to roll out more renewable energy and they help to stem our reliance on overseas energy supplies, in turn, reducing our energy costs.

“We have chosen the location for this development because it can be sensitively placed in the landscape (next to the Wakefield B sub station and existing pylons) at the same time as taking advantage of a viable grid connection, which are not commonplace in the UK.”

The statement adds: “To no avail, we have tried a number of times to speak to Heath Residents Association about their concerns, however we’re always willing to engage and we hope they take up our offer.”