Securing unanimous consent for a 57MW battery storage project near Exeter
Securing unanimous consent for a 57MW battery storage project near Exeter
East Devon District Council's Planning Committee unanimously approved EDF power solutions' Westcroft battery energy storage system in July 2025, following pre-application engagement designed and delivered by KOR Communications with the homes and representatives closest to the site. The consultation ensured local questions about traffic, safety and the concentration of energy infrastructure in the area were answered clearly before the application was submitted.
The project
EDF power solutions, formerly EDF Renewables, proposed Westcroft, a battery energy storage system on land between Broadclyst and Whimple. The facility will store electricity when supply exceeds demand and release it when demand is higher, helping to balance the grid and make greater use of renewable power.
We were appointed to design and deliver the pre-application engagement and prepare the Statement of Community Involvement supporting the planning application.
Our approach
The local circumstances at Westcroft called for a focused engagement with homes close to the site, a community already living alongside energy infrastructure concentrated around the substation, and practical questions that deserved direct, well-evidenced answers. We designed the programme accordingly, writing to every residential address within 1km, briefing parish, district and county councillors, displaying posters locally and creating dedicated project website pages explaining the proposals and the role of battery storage.
The project was presented to Broadclyst Parish Council followed by a Q&A session with the project team. We then worked with EDF power solutions to respond to each matter raised, including the cumulative effect of energy development around the substation, in the Statement of Community Involvement submitted with the application.
The outcome
The consultation identified construction traffic and the condition of local roads as the principal local concerns.
East Devon District Council's Planning Committee unanimously approved Westcroft in July 2025. KOR's involvement from pre-application consultation through to determination ensured local concerns were documented and answered, and elected representatives remained informed as the application progressed.
-
KOR wrote to every home within one kilometre of the site, displayed posters locally, published detailed project information online and provided telephone and email contact routes. The project team also presented the proposals to Broadclyst Parish Council and answered questions directly.
-
Communities commonly want clear information about construction traffic, noise, fire safety, landscape impact, decommissioning and community benefit. At Westcroft, these issues were addressed through accessible project information, direct discussion with parish councillors and commitments recorded in the Statement of Community Involvement.
-
The consultation's role is to make clear, accessible safety information available and ensure every question receives a direct answer from the project team. This may cover battery technology, monitoring, emergency planning and engagement with the fire and rescue service. At Westcroft, safety questions were answered through the project website, direct contact routes and the Q&A session with Broadclyst Parish Council, and recorded in the Statement of Community Involvement.