Advanced

PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(12 December 2024)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which solar PV farm battery energy storage systems are deemed to be within an unsafe distance from a residential dwelling.

Asked by:
Nick Timothy (Conservative)

Answer

The Government has updated Planning Practice Guidance to encourage battery storage developers and local planning authorities to engage with local fire and rescue services, and for local planning authorities to refer to guidance published by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). The NFCC’s current guidance proposes a minimum distance of 25 metres between grid-scale batteries and occupied buildings.

The Department only considers consenting for solar projects over 50MW, and under this regime no solar PV farm battery has been consented which has been deemed an unsafe distance from a residential dwelling. Projects below 50MW are considered under the local planning regime.


Answered by:
()

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.