Application submitted for energy storage facility

An energy company has submitted a planning application to develop a 300-megawatt (MW) battery storage unit on the edge of a Kent village.

Clearstone Energy (CE) has asked Dartford Borough Council (DBC) for planning permission to build a unit on land between Northfleet and Southfleet.

The proposed facility, The Dartford Energy Hub, would store excess electricity from solar and wind farms and would generate £50,000 of annual funding to the local community, a CE spokesperson said.

Sam Thomson, development manager at CE says the project will "reduce our reliance on gas fired power stations" and "provide increased security of energy supply for the local area".

In November Jeremy Kite, leader of DBC, told the BBC that "food security is as important as energy security" and he said he was concerned the development could impact local agriculture.

CE said it expects to invest around £200 million into the project which has a proposed operational start date of 2028.

The company estimates the unit would replace 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from gas-fired power plants each year, equivalent to planting 1.9 million trees.

The company ran a public consultation in November 2024 and has confirmed that its planning proposals have been updated following this.

Responding to public concerns about the possible impact on wildlife, the company says the submitted proposal includes a commitment to use native species when landscaping.

CE said the project will deliver a 13% increase in biodiversity and a 27% increase in hedgerows.

The proposed site is bordered by HS1 railway lines.

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