Giant battery site approved in Lincolnshire fen despite farmland fears
Councillors back major energy project at Bicker Fen after warning there were not enough grounds to refuse it
Plans for a huge battery energy storage site covering more than 20 football pitches have been approved at Bicker Fen near Boston, despite strong objections from residents and councillors.
The 17-hectare development will include more than 1,000 battery storage units and supporting infrastructure close to the existing Bicker Fen substation.
Lincolnshire county councillor Paul Lock told the meeting the scheme would mean a “permanent loss of food production”, adding: “Once lost, it’s lost permanently.”
Councillor James Cantwell described the proposal as “a step too far from an already beleaguered fen.”
But councillors ultimately backed the plans, with Independent member Stephen Woodliffe saying: “The problem I have with this application is that I can’t see any way to refuse it.”
The application was approved subject to conditions.