I was pleased to attend an extraordinary meeting of Lower Penn Parish Council today, where we discussed growing local concerns around the proposed development of Battery Energy Storage Sites (BESS) in the area.
The scale of these proposals is deeply worrying. Up to nine BESS sites are currently being planned for the countryside in and around Lower Penn alone—a rural community that is not large enough to qualify for the basic a village shop, GP surgery, or primary school. It's clear that this level of industrial development is disproportionate and out of step with the needs and character of the local area.
That’s why I’m standing alongside residents and the parish council to urge planners to reconsider their approach to assessing these applications for BESS sites across Kingswinford & South Staffordshire. These proposals would place a significant burden on a small rural community and represent a real threat to our precious countryside, which must be protected for future generations.
I will continue to press the case with local and national planning authorities to ensure that the voices of residents in Lower Penn are heard—and that our countryside is not sacrificed for unsuitable developments that offer no real benefit to the local area.
