The projects include Grendon BESS, located south of Earls Barton in North Northamptonshire, and Ironbridge BESS located in Buildwas, Shropshire. Resolution to grant planning permission for Grendon BESS was approved by a strong majority at North Northamptonshire Planning Committee on 11 March 2026, with the decision notice issued on 16 March 2026. Ironbridge BESS was approved under delegated authority on 22 April 2026, following completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Both projects were designed with biodiversity enhancement at their core. Grendon would deliver a 17.56% net gain in habitat units and a 30.15% uplift in hedgerows, ensuring long-term ecological benefits and contributing positively to the local environment.
Once operational, Grendon BESS is expected to deliver annual carbon savings of 53,308 tonnes of CO2 and provide electricity to more than 1.29 million homes for a two-hour period annually. Ironbridge BESS is estimated to achieve a minimum of 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 savings across its lifecycle and could power approximately 160,000 homes for two hours.
DWD shaped the planning strategy for both schemes and led the technical consultant team through the preparation, submission and determination of the applications, including coordinating responses to comments and issues raised during the planning process.
These permissions add to DWD’s growing portfolio of battery storage projects and demonstrate the vital role of planning in supporting the UK’s transition to a more flexible, resilient and low-carbon energy system.
