LAND SOUTH OF WAKEFIELD B SUBSTATION, AND EAST OF NEIL FOX WAY, WAKEFIELD, WF1 5DB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the level of harm that would be caused by the principal element of the proposed development to the setting and significance of designated and non-designated heritage assets and to cultural heritage
• whether the appeal site is grey belt land and whether the proposed development otherwise complies with national Green Belt policy
• the effect of the principal element of the proposed development on the visual amenity of the landscape

What decided it

The significant weight to be given to the benefits of renewable and low carbon energy generation from the BESS clearly outweighed the Green Belt, heritage, landscape and agricultural land harms, amounting to very special circumstances.

The significant weight afforded to the benefits of the BESS in supporting renewable energy and net zero targets, together with heritage enhancement benefits secured by the s.106 Undertaking, outweighed the harm by reason of inappropriateness to the Green Belt, the low/very low levels of less than substantial heritage harm, the significant (diminishing to moderate) landscape/visual harm, and the temporary loss of BMV land, such that very special circumstances existed and the appeal was allowed.