An appeal has been lodged following Torridge District Council’s refusal of a battery energy storage system (BESS) site near Alverdiscott in north Devon.

The council’s planning committee last month rejected the 99MW scheme on ten acres at West Webbery Farm at Woodtown, saying the harm to the landscape “outweighed” any benefits.

Sixty-four members of the public also opposed the plans, flagging up the cumulative effect of a number of solar and battery storage developments in the parish of Alverdiscott.

Expanding battery storage capacity is recognised as critical to future energy security.

BESS sites contain thousands of lithium-ion batteries which store energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar and release it back into the grid when demand is high.

But Torridge councillor Thomas Elliot (Con, Two Rivers and Three Moors) said at a planning meeting on July 2 that the parish was “being hammered, left, right and centre” – and there would be very little of the rural scenery left if more such developments were allowed.

Members went against the planning officer’s recommendation to grant approval and refused the proposal by eight votes to one.

Speaking at the meeting, dairy farmer Ian Ratcliffe, who farms the land, said the proposal would help him keep farming at a challenging time for the industry, allowing him to diversify on less than one per cent of the 615 acres he managed. In years to come the site would be returned to its original use.

Countryside charity CPRE Devon has been leading the fight against the growing number of solar and battery applications in the area and spearheaded a demonstration at the planning meeting where local people turned up with placards.

It has claimed that there was no need for the BESS. According to current data from the National Energy System Operator NESO it would not be connected to the grid for another ten years.

CPRE Devon is currently opposing plans for a 49.9MW solar and BESS application at Bulworthy Farm nearby.

Another BESS site and AI data centre plan are due to be submitted later this year for the edge of the village which would be spread across 850 acres.

“We are extremely concerned about the growing number of solar and battery applications in a concentrated cluster of development around Alverdiscott – a honeypot for investors seeking to cash in on the ‘solar and battery gold rush’ ,” said the charity.

CPRE Devon called TDC’s decision in July a victory for people power.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

The public can comment on the appeal until midnight on September 16 2026 at https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6013918