Surre: Battery energy storage system approved for green areas

Two parish councils raised objections to the application and Jenny Gaffney, chair of the planning committee at Caterham Valley Parish Council, raised concerns about what it might mean for the future of the site.

She said: “This was a greenbelt site and, following the construction of the facilities, it can now be considered a graybelt site, making it a potential site for future development.”

Tandridge officers said the applicant had presented a case of “very special circumstances” which were deemed to clearly outweigh the harm resulting from building on the green belt and therefore fell within the requirements of the policy.

Neil Brooks, managing director at Root-Power, the company behind the Caterham headquarters, said he was “delighted” the site could be launched as early as 2025.