Some good news at last! The Battery Safety Management Plan was considered at an Extraordinary Planning Committee at Swale Borough Council on 28 February, and was refused! The decision was voted at 10 to 5 against, with 2 abstentions.
Presentations were given by Local Councillors, Parish Councils, and The Faversham Society, opposing the Plan.
During a 4 hour debate, a number of Committee Members expressed concerns about the apparent lack of concern for local communities, the lack of emergency evacuation plans and the lack of robust risk assessments.
There were also concerns raised that Kent Fire and Rescue (KF&R) had approved the Plan, despite it not meeting a number of minimum requirements outlined in the National Fire Chief’s Council’s Guidelines for this type of installation.
These exclusions included only having one vehicular access route, when the guidelines state at least two, and KF&R’s suggestion that they could use the pedestrian access route if the vehicular access route was unsafe to use.
Although we’re delighted with this outcome, we’re not out of the woods yet! Cleve Hill Solar Park will now decide their next steps, which could include an appeal.