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Renewable planning Battery storageCounty Durham

Battery storage planning in County Durham

County Durham has decided 7 battery storage schemes and approved 86% of them, taking a median of 8.7 months to decide. Consented capacity: 236 MW. 8 applications still awaiting a decision.

86%
Approved
6 granted · 1 refused
8.7 mo
Median decision
UK 6 mo
236 MW
Consented
10 MW refused
0
Appeals
no appeals recorded

⚠️ Small caseload (7 decided). Percentages here move a lot with one more decision — read them as indicative, not as a reliable rate.

How County Durham compares

Against the 137 UK authorities with 5+ battery storage decisions, County Durham sits in the 23rd percentile for approval rate (6 points below the England average) and the 23rd percentile for speed.

Decisions by year

35Approved — 1 (2021)121Approved — 2 (2022)222Approved — 1 (2023)123Approved — 2 (2025)Refused — 1 (2025)325
Approved Refused

Battery storage decisions by the year the decision was issued (Renewable Energy Planning Database). Withdrawn and still-undecided applications are excluded, so a short bar can mean a quiet year rather than a strict council.

Every recorded scheme (17)

SchemeMWStatusDecided
Hawthorn Pit Green Energy Park - Battery Energy Storage System
NatPower UK · DM/25/02255/FPA
1000Application Submitted2025-08-27
Hackworth Road, North West Industrial Estate - Solar Panels
ABEI Energy Green IX Limited · DM/25/02042/FPA
10Application Submitted2025-07-31
Benridge Farm, Fillpoke Lane - Battery Energy Storage System
Development at Benridge Farm · DM/25/01964/FPA
12Application Submitted2025-07-18
Hallfield Farm, Easington - Battery Storage
Eden Renewables · DM/25/01881/FPA
57Application Submitted2025-07-12
Woodlands, Windermere Road - Battery Energy Storage
Build Studios · DM/25/01835/FPA
90Application Submitted2025-07-08
Harehill Farm, Haswell Plough - Solar Farm & Battery Energy Storage
Hare Hill Solar Limited · DM/24/03473/FPA · 6.3 mo to decide
10.35Application Refused2025-07-04
Barnard Castle - Solar Farm & Battery Storage System
Farm Energy Company · DM/23/02510/FPA · 21.6 mo to decide
4Awaiting Construction2025-06-10
Carrs Farm, South Hetton - Battery Energy Storage System
Stephenson Halliday · DM/25/01345/FPA
200Application Submitted2025-05-21
Porch House Farm, East Street - Battery Energy Storage System
Integrum SPV 24002 Limited · DM/25/00899/FPA
Application Submitted2025-04-01
Addison Road, Toronto - Battery Energy Storage
Ylem Energy Limited · DM/24/01138/FPA · 8.7 mo to decide
Awaiting Construction2025-02-05
Edge Lane, Maiden Law - Solar Farm & Battery Storage
Lightsource BP · DM/22/01769/FPA · 12.4 mo to decide
45Awaiting Construction2023-07-13
Spennymoor Greener Grid Park
Statkraft UK Limited · DM/23/00745/FPA
200Application Submitted2023-03-24
Hawthorn Grid Site - Battery Storage
Harmony Energy Limited · DM/22/00747/FPA · 8.5 mo to decide
49Operational2022-12-02
South Thinford Lane, Thinford - Energy Storage
Renewable Energy Systems Limited · DM/22/00120/FPA · 9 mo to decide
99.9Awaiting Construction2022-10-21
Maiden, Annfield Plain - Energy Storage
Stephenson Mohl Development · DM/21/01583/FPA · 3.4 mo to decide
38Awaiting Construction2021-08-18
Addison Road
Anesco · DM/17/01439/FPA
22Abandoned2017-05-05
Hield House
Strathmore English Estates · DM/14/01299/FPA
Application Withdrawn2014-12-23

Does County Durham approve battery storage schemes?

Yes — of the 7 battery storage schemes County Durham has decided, 86% were approved (6 granted, 1 refused). The UK-wide rate for battery storage is 92%. Note this is a small caseload, so treat the percentage as indicative rather than statistically robust.

How long does a battery storage scheme application take in County Durham?

The median time from application to decision is 8.7 months, against a UK median of 6 months for battery storage. That is measured between the submission and decision dates recorded in REPD, so it reflects the whole determination period including any extensions.

How much battery storage capacity has County Durham consented?

236 MW has been consented across 6 approved schemes, with 10 MW refused. A further 8 applications awaits a decision.

Other technologies in County Durham

Solar in County DurhamOnshore wind in County Durham

Source: Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Open Government Licence v3.0 — 2026 Q1 extract. Approval rate is over decided applications only (approved ÷ approved+refused); withdrawn and undecided schemes are excluded. A permission later expired still counts as approved because consent was granted. REPD covers schemes of roughly 150 kW and above, is published quarterly, and does not record refusal reasons — so nothing here explains why a scheme was refused. Screening context for site selection, not planning advice.

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