Fears grow over a battery project’s impact on a famed English vista near Thirsk, sparking objections from locals and councils.
NatPower wants to build it on 173 acres. They say it will make energy clean and cheap, but many people object to this plan. Over 360 public responses showed concerns, while only four supported building the BESS.
Local councils also want the plan rejected, including South Kilvington and Thirsk councils. The park authority needs more visual impact data.
They said the project would be visible, 5-6 km from key spots. These include the Cleveland Way path and Roulston Scar’s top viewpoint, as well as Sutton Bank’s viewing area and Whitestonecliffe, above Lake Gormire.
Sutton Bank visitor center had many visitors this year, around 146,347 people. The views are the park’s main attraction. The project includes 1,096 battery units in two areas. These units cover over 30,000 square meters.
The battery units are bright, so they will stand out. Observers will see them from the park’s edge. They will look like two large industrial buildings, harming the park’s peaceful setting due to their closeness.
The park also worries about light pollution. Industrial sites further away are already visible. NatPower will work with consultants as the plan moves forward.
They say their design minimizes impacts and will protect the local landscape. James Herriot called the view “finest in England”. He was a vet from Thirsk and wrote about it in his book in 1979.