Turning brownfield land into future energy infrastructure- we’ve secured planning permission for a 50MW Battery Energy Storage System in Wigan.
Planning Success: Wigan Battery Energy Storage Facility
We’re pleased to share that planning permission has been secured for a 50MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for AIM Capital, at a former Council depot site on Orrell Street in Wigan, led by Rob Gandy, Principal Consultant in our Planning team.
This project is a great example of how underused brownfield land can be brought back into productive use to support the UK’s transition to a more flexible, low-carbon energy system. By storing electricity when demand is low and releasing it at peak times, the scheme will play an important role in improving grid resilience and making better use of renewable energy generation.
From a planning perspective, this was a technically detailed application, requiring careful consideration of a range of environmental and site-specific constraints. The site itself, while well-located within the urban area, has a complex history, including previous industrial use and a known coal mining legacy, which meant that ground conditions, contamination and site stability all needed to be robustly addressed through investigation and remediation strategies.
Enzygo worked closely with the local authority and consultees to demonstrate that the development would sit comfortably within its surroundings, with no unacceptable impacts on neighbouring uses. This included detailed work on noise and amenity, confirmation that traffic movements would be minimal once operational, and ensuring that ecological enhancements were secured through the provision of bird and bat boxes and the protection of existing vegetation.
Flood risk and drainage were also key considerations, particularly given the culverted watercourse along the site boundary, but through a clear and policy-aligned drainage strategy, we were able to demonstrate that the development would not increase flood risk and would, in fact, represent an improvement on the existing unmanaged situation.
Ultimately, Wigan Council agreed that the proposal represents a sustainable form of development, making effective use of previously developed land while contributing to critical energy infrastructure, and granted planning permission subject to conditions.
This is a really positive outcome and another example of how battery storage projects can be successfully delivered where a strong, evidence-led planning case is put forward.
If you’re working on similar energy or infrastructure projects and need support navigating the planning process, feel free to get in touch with Robert Gandy MRTPI at rob.gandy@enzygo.com.