A major battery energy storage system (BESS) in Holmfield, near Halifax, has been approved by Calderdale Council, advancing plans by Masdar Arlington Energy to develop a 500MW facility aimed at supporting the UK’s clean energy transition.
The project, situated within an existing industrial estate, will store excess electricity generated from renewable sources and feed it back into the grid during periods of peak demand. This comes as part of a broader national effort to stabilise the electricity network as renewables make up a larger share of the energy mix.
Despite technical backing from council planning, heritage, and highways officers, the decision was contentious. Over 400 individual objections were lodged, with concerns ranging from fire safety and noise to traffic disruption and perceived impacts on local tourism and property values. A petition opposing the project gathered 1,500 signatures.
The council’s planning committee narrowly approved the scheme, passing the vote only via the chair’s casting ballot after a deadlock among the seven members.
The site is located near Holdsworth House, a listed property that operates as a hotel and restaurant. Heritage assessments were conducted to evaluate the potential impact on surrounding historic assets.
