Centre of Pond 52m From Ditchers Farm, Slack Lane 50m From Unnamed Road, Slack Lane, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3LB

Planning appeal 3346865 at Centre of Pond 52m From Ditchers Farm, Slack Lane 50m From Unnamed Road, Slack Lane, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3LB (Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council) was allowed on 6 November 2024 by Inspector Hartley S, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area including land designated as other protected land (OPL) in the development plan for the area.

the installation and operation of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and ancillary infrastructure

Authority: Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: utilities-energy · Minor general industry/storage/warehousing
Inspector: Hartley S
Postcode: BL5 3LB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area including land designated as other protected land (OPL) in the development plan for the area
Biodiversity including whether it would deliver biodiversity net gain

What decided it

The national energy supply benefits associated with providing backup electricity to the national grid outweigh any conflict with development plan policy, combined with the site-specific circumstances demonstrating no material harm to character, appearance, or biodiversity.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy CG6APPolicy JP-G1Policy JP-G2Policy JP-G7Policy JP-G8Policy JP-S4
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 180

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

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The decision letter

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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2024

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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.