The battery enclosures are specifically engineered to guarantee secure operation throughout the project’s lifespan. Advanced safety measures, including continuous monitoring of individual battery cells, are in place to promptly address any potential concerns and manage operations for utmost safety.

BESS are designed to adhere to stringent safety standards established by international regulatory bodies like the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

These comprehensive standards encompass various facets of BESS, including installation, operation, and maintenance, to ensure their compliance with the highest safety protocols.

No - the project will not create noticeable noise for local residents. Independent noise assessments show that the site will have a negligible impact on the surrounding area. The only place where a minor daytime effect was identified is at the closest property, and even there, the predicted levels are very low.

To put this in perspective, at the source, the batteries can generate around 80dB (similar to a vacuum cleaner), but no one will ever be that close.

By the time sound reaches the nearest homes, it reduces to around 34dB, which is similar to leaves rustling or the gentle hum of a fridge. This means the facility will operate quietly in the background and will not disturb the local community.

The BESS is a temporary development and will not change the land classification. When the batteries have been decommissioned, the planning consent will require the land to be restored to its previous purpose. This means the site remains classified as agricultural greenfield land and does not become previously developed ‘brownfield’ land in policy terms.

Once operational the BESS will have a low-impact presence with only the occasional operations and maintenance visits.

The only period with potential traffic impact is during the short-term temporary construction phase, which is estimated to take between 6 and 9 months.

Battery Energy Storage Systems support sustainability by:

1. Use and Reducing Waste: Storing extra solar and wind energy for later use, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

2. Cutting Carbon Emissions: Replacing fossil fuels during peak demand with stored renewable energy.

3. Stabilising the Grid: Balancing supply and demand quickly, improving grid reliability.

4. Avoiding Peaking Plants: Reducing the need for carbon-heavy backup power.

It is important to note that the proposed development does not fall within the Kent National Landscape (AONB). It is located 450m from the nearest point of the AONB, and there is also additional proposed screening to ensure there is minimal visual impact.

There have been some suggestions online that the BESS site spans 14 football pitches. This is not true, the fenced area of the BESS will cover 2.4ha, which translate to an area less than the size of 3.5 football pitches. The remainder of the field included within the red line boundary will be a track to the facility, hedging, trees, and grassland/wildflowers for screening.

We’ve designed Parsonage BESS so it fits sensitively into the landscape and avoids unnecessary visual impact, especially on the Kent Downs National Landscape. The site sits in a natural dip in the land, next to Forty Acre Wood, which already helps to screen it from view. On top of this, we’ll be planting over 400 metres of new hedgerows and creating more than 2 hectares of new woodland, which will provide even more natural screening as it grows.

Independent experts who reviewed our plans concluded that these steps will reduce any visual impact and help the project blend into its surroundings over the long term.

We also want to clear up a few common misconceptions:

• Fencing: Only the substation compound will be fenced, with a modest 2.4-metre-high fence.

• Equipment height: Most equipment will be less than 4 metres tall, with the tallest parts around 10–12 metres. By comparison, the existing transmission tower on site is 45 metres high, so nothing new will be anywhere near that scale.

• Lighting: There will be no permanent lighting at the site, so there’s no risk of added light pollution. The facility is unmanned and doesn’t require lighting.

The risk of fire is very low. Parsonage BESS is being built to the highest international safety standards and will be monitored around the clock. In the unlikely event of a fire, the site will have automatic fire detection and suppression systems in place. We are also working closely with Kent Fire and Rescue Service to agree on robust emergency response procedures, including a detailed Battery Fire Safety Management Plan.

Importantly, the project will use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are not the same as standard Lithium-Ion batteries.

LFP batteries are:

• Much safer, with a far lower risk of fire.

• More sustainable, lasting longer and avoiding scarce or ethically problematic materials like cobalt and nickel.

• More reliable, making them the preferred choice for modern energy storage projects.