TIME is running out for residents to have their say on proposals for an energy storage plant which are due to go before a planning inspector.

The deadline to submit responses for the energy storage plant on land at Court Farm, Lower Woodford, is Tuesday (April 2).

The plans, submitted by Enso Energy, for a two-acre plant that will use commercial scale batteries to store electricity and support the national grid were refused planning permission by Wiltshire Council last year.

Residents in the village have banded together and have pledged money towards the costs of getting photomontage images produced to oppose the plans at appeal.

Resident Chris Down said: “When the original planning permission application was submitted, over 150 letters of objection were received by the planning authority. Only a short notice was given of the appeal deadline despite the appeal being lodged last October.

“This has given valley residents little time to respond but galvanised to action, a robust response is being prepared locally for submission to the appeal inspector.”

Concerns, he said, include the impact on the landscape as the plant would be “clearly visible from a variety of locations”, noise created from the proposed cooling units for the battery units as well as increased lorry movements during the construction and potential fire risk from lithium ion battery technology. Archaeological remains are reported on part of the site.

He added: “Construction of the site would require hundreds of lorry movements through unsuitable village roads over a period of several months. The battery storage units are so big a large crane will also need to be got to the site which is accessible only from a farm track.”

To make a representation email west1@pins.gsi.gov.uk or write to Planning Inspectorate, Room 3D,Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol, BS1 6PN or online at acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk using case number 3213367 and clicking on make representation.