I've always stood up for Graveney residents over Cleve Hill Solar Park.
Right now, the safety of the batteries and the lack of an evacuation plan in case of emergency are the biggest concerns for Graveney residents.
That’s why earlier this month I hosted a public meeting about battery and fire safety with Matthew Deadman, Assistant Director at Kent Fire and Rescue Service and National Fire Chiefs Council lead officer for Alternative Fuel and Energy Systems.
Almost 50 Graveney residents attended the meeting, demonstrating the considerable local concern over the safety of the batteries and the lack of an evacuation plan included in the developer's Battery Safety Management Plan (BSMP).
Whilst the battery storage is included in the development consent order obtained in 2020, on Wednesday 28 February Swale Borough Council’s planning committee rejected the developer’s BSMP.
The BSMP was rejected due to a lack of water storage facilities on site, a lack of access to the battery storage area, and the lack of an evacuation plan in the case of a fire or explosion. However, it is likely the developer will appeal and continue to push for approval.
I've written to the Planning Secretary and to the developer, voicing Graveney's concerns. The community needs to know that everything necessary has been done for the batteries to be safe, otherwise this shouldn’t go ahead.
I've started this petition for Graveney residents who don't want to see batteries at Cleve Hill Solar Park.
I'll present this petition to the developer of Cleve Hill Solar Park at the end of April.
I will delete all the data collected no later than 31 December 2024, and will ask that the developer do the same.
