A joint meeting of the Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss battery energy storage systems and solar energy. The committees were to be updated on the national and local policy context surrounding these technologies and consider their implications for the future County Durham Plan.

Battery Energy Storage Systems and Solar Energy

The committees were scheduled to receive a joint report and a presentation concerning battery energy storage systems (BESS) and solar energy. The report outlined the national policy landscape, including the government's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which sets targets for solar and BESS capacity by 2030. It also detailed the development of Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) by the National Energy System Operator to align energy system investment with local needs.

The report highlighted the importance of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), noting that a revised draft was out for consultation until 10 March 2026. Key changes proposed in the draft NPPF include requirements for local plans to engage with network operators, plan positively for renewable energy development, and identify suitable areas for such infrastructure. National decision-making policies, such as proposed Policy W3, would give substantial weight to the benefits of renewable and low-carbon energy development, including improving energy security, supporting economic development, and contributing to a net-zero future. The report also mentioned potential government proposals for energy bill discounts for communities near new transmission infrastructure and mandatory community benefit funds for developers of low-carbon infrastructure.

Locally, the report referred to the existing County Durham Plan (CDP) Policy 33 on renewable and low-carbon energy and the adopted Solar Energy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) from August 2024. The SPD provides guidance on various aspects of solar development, including landscape and visual impact, biodiversity, agricultural land, and fire safety for BESS. The report noted that six solar farm planning applications had been refused to date, with two subsequently allowed on appeal, where inspectors determined that national climate change objectives outweighed localised landscape harm.

The report also discussed considerations for agricultural land, stating that where development is proposed on Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land, additional evidence would be required to demonstrate necessity. For fire safety, guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council for BESS using lithium-ion batteries was to be followed, including minimum separation distances. The report also touched upon Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), which are solar farms generating 100MW or more and are determined by the Planning Inspectorate.

The committees were presented with an overview of planning applications received for ground-mounted solar and BESS, as well as the status of refused applications. It was noted that appeals for some solar farms had been allowed, with inspectors citing the imperative to tackle climate change. The report also mentioned community-led initiatives, such as Weardale Renewables, which are progressing renewable energy projects.

Finally, the report detailed the ongoing review of the County Durham Plan, emphasizing that the new CDP must align with the revised NPPF. It was suggested that identifying suitable areas for solar and BESS would likely be a requirement, considering factors such as landscape sensitivity, heritage, environmental designations, and Green Belt. The committees were asked to provide comments on the approach the new CDP should take regarding renewable and low-carbon energy, acknowledging that local policies cannot deviate from national decision-making policies, and on the approach to community-led initiatives.

The report was prepared by Tony Hanson, Corporate Director of Regeneration, Economy and Growth, and Mark Jackson, Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Environment. The presentation was to be delivered by the Strategy and Delivery Manager and the Energy and Sustainability Manager.

The meeting was scheduled to be attended by members of both the Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee, including Councillor I Catchpole (Chair of ESC), Councillor M Wilkes (Vice-Chair of ESC), Councillor A Harrison (Chair of E&E), and Councillor K Hope (Vice-Chair of E&E), among others. Co-opted members Mr B McArdle, Ms K Monahan, Mrs R Morris, and Mr E Simons were also listed as attendees.