Knuzden Moss Farm Stanhill Road, Oswaldtwistle, ACCRINGTON, BB5 3RE

a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure

Authority: Hyndburn Borough Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: utilities-energy · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
Inspector: Hughes L

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework (2024) and any relevant development plan policies

What decided it

The proposal satisfies Framework paragraph 155 requirements by being sited on grey belt land that does not strongly contribute to Green Belt purposes, would not fundamentally undermine remaining Green Belt purposes, addresses demonstrable unmet need for renewable energy storage, and is in a sustainable location.

Framework references: 142, 143, 153, 155, 161, 168, 110, 115

Plan policies cited: Policy DM34, Policy Env5, Core Strategy Policy Env5

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

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What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.
- Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
- Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
- Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
- Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.
Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.
Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.
Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.
The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.

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