Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer Balance Power has announced it has successfully secured planning consent for a new BESS project in Greater Manchester.
The Rochdale BESS, set to be located around ten miles outside Manchester in Rochdale, is a 30MW, two-hour duration energy storage development. The project will be sited adjacent to the M62 motorway; the traffic noise from the motorway nearby means that the noise impact of the project will be minimal. A total of 12 battery storage units will be installed on site, alongside biodiversity enhancements that are set to deliver a 34.82% increase in habitat units and a 16.44% increase in hedgerow units in the surrounding area.
The planning application for the project was submitted in January 2024. While Balance Power has not confirmed when it will begin construction on the Rochdale BESS, the developer has stated that the site is due to be energised in 2028.
Lois Gale, design lead at Balance Power, said that securing this planning approval marked an important milestone in the company’s efforts to deliver more flexible energy infrastructure in the UK. Gale added: “We’re thankful for the constructive dialogue we’ve had with residents and council members to help ensure our Rochdale facility will bolster national energy security while delivering meaningful benefits for the local community”.
Planning consent boom for Balance Power
This spring, Balance Power has successfully secured a number of planning approvals for its BESS projects up and down the country, and currently boasts a development pipeline of over 2GW.
Less than three weeks ago, the company announced that it had landed planning consent for the Coylton BESS, a 29.9MW energy storage development in the East Ayrshire region of Scotland. The development, which will comprise 18 battery units and cover 2.67 hectares of land south of the Coylton electricity substation, is expected to be operational by the summer of 2026.
In mid-April, Balance Power was granted planning permission for a 49.5MW BESS in Staffordshire, the Hinksford BESS. This development was approved by South Staffordshire Council in a unanimous decision following an extensive consultation process with the local community. A start date for the commencement of construction on the project, which will feature 36 battery units spread across a 2.59-hectare site, has not yet been confirmed; however, the developer states that it expects the BESS to be operational by autumn of next year.
