The site is on land at Barnsdale Road, just south of Kippax. The site will be accessed by a 600m track off the Barnsdale Road.

In June 2019, Leeds Council declared a Climate Emergency in recognition of the need to take urgent action in respect of climate change. As part of this declaration, Leeds Council’s aim is to be carbon neutral by 2038.

In addition to this, the Government has made a legal commitment to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 which will require a rapid and expanded deployment of low carbon power, including solar.

Energy storage is a crucial technology. Recent concerns over the National Grid’s capacity has emphasised the importance of battery storage for the UK, particularly as a means to ensure our energy independence.

This focus aligns with the broader goals outlined in the “British Energy Security Strategy” published in April 2022, which seeks to transition the UK away from fossil fuels towards clean energy. Energy storage plays a key role in making renewable energy sources more reliable and efficient, especially as we transition to smaller, intermittent power generations systems.

Our proposals for Land at Barnsdale Road seek to:

Allow for a significant opportunity for green energy storage near Kippax.

Ensure a secure and stable supply of electricity to help meet the Government’s target of net zero by 2050.

Support existing biodiversity to thrive on the site.

Improvements in the condition of existing habitats and creation of new habitats to enhance biodiversity on site.

Secure the future of a local family farm, supporting ongoing agriculture in the area.

Allow the land to be returned to agricultural use following decommissioning with an operational lifespan of 40 years.

For more information on the benefits of the proposal and to view further details, please see ‘The Proposals’ page of the website by clicking here.

If you have any questions about the proposals or need to speak with a member of the project team, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by:

1)     Attend our public consultation event on 5th November

You are invited to attend our public consultation event at which you can see our plans, learn more about our proposal and talk to the project team. We’re holding our public consultation event from 2pm-6pm at Kippax Band Social Club, 17 Mount Pleasant, Kippax, Leeds, LS25 7AT.

2)     Fill in the feedback form on this website.

Please read through the leaflet and provide feedback to us by way of the freepost feedback form available to download on the ‘Documents’ page.

3)     Email us at:

Feedback@barnsdaleroadbess.co.uk

The proposals would have an operational lifespan of 40 years. Following this the batteries would be decommissioned, and the land could be returned to agricultural use.

Ecological enhancements to the site will be achieved through maintaining existing hedgerows and surrounding vegetation, and the creation of wildlife grassland, thereby improving the existing landscape features in and around the site. These measures will be explored in greater detail in collaboration with the Council throughout the consultation period.

The proposal will include biodiversity net gains of at least 10% in line with the government’s targets.

There is currently an urgent need for alternatives to expensive, polluting fossil fuels in the UK. The need for battery development and other forms of renewable power across the UK is crucial for the UK’s future energy security.

The development of batteries can help to support local farmers with additional income, offering a level of additional financial security. As such, the two elements complement and support each other. Battery development also allows for the land to be returned to agricultural use after the project lifespan. As such, should better renewable technology exist at this time, the land can be returned to its original use with no long-term detrimental impacts.

The land is currently utilised as grazing and this will be continued on the land surrounding the BESS site.