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Aura Power is developing a battery energy storage project on land near Sandford in North Somerset.
If approved, Sandford Battery Energy Storage will be able to power over 100,000 homes per 4 hour cycle at times of peak demand. Compared to a gas peaker, using energy from this storage system would save 25,000 tonnes of CO2 each cycle.
The UK has a legally binding target to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050 as well as completely decarbonising the UK’s power supplies by 2035. In order to do this, we need more energy storage systems to deal with intermittent renewable energy generation. This is where batteries come in.
Battery storage systems, such as this, play a crucial role in the decarbonisation of our electricity network with much-needed increases in renewable energy sources. Batteries store excess energy at times of low demand i.e. from a solar farm on a sunny day, and discharge the energy back into the grid when it is needed the most.
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July 2026 - The planning application was approved by North Somerset Council. We thank everyone who engaged with us during the planning process will keep local stakeholders updated as we progress the project .
Our focus is now on working with National Grid to progress the project's grid connection as part of the ongoing electricity network reform process.
While we do not yet have a confirmed grid connection date, Sandford is strategically located adjacent to existing National Grid infrastructure and is well placed to play an important role in supporting a more resilient and flexible electricity network. Battery energy storage projects like Sandford will help integrate increasing amounts of renewable energy onto the grid, improve energy security and support the UK's transition to a cleaner energy system.
If you would like to read more about the planning decision and the project, you can find our press release here: www.aurapower.com/latest-news/planning-permission-secured-for-sandford-battery-energy-storage-system
Initial plans presented at public exhibitions to gain feedback from local community.
Planning application submitted to North Somerset District Council. We will work with the Council's Planning Officers to address all elements of the scheme.
Continue to engage with local community and take on board comments to address.
The planning application was approved by North Somerset Council.
Anticipated construction year. Construction is expected to take around 6-9 months.
equivalent number of homes powered per Cycle
tonnes of CO2 saved per Cycle
equivalent number of electric cars powered per Cycle
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Consulting with the local community is very important to us and a crucial part of getting our plans right.
To gain as much feedback as we can and ensure local people are well informed, we held an online event as well as an in person public exhibition in Sandford on Wednsday 26th March 2025. We thank everyone who came along and engaged with us and remain available for any further discussions.
The recorded webinar is available to view below and the exhibtion boards are available to view in the 'Useful Links' box.
The feedback received has been incorporated into our planning application. Please view our Statement of Community involvement found in our planning application for full details on the community engagement undertaken to date.
Please contact Chloe should you have any queries or concerns you would like to discuss:
chloe.hood@aurapower.com
0117 214 1971
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SITE LOCATION ON GOOGLE MAPS
•This site has been carefully selected due to:
Our proposal is for a 100 MW battery storage facility. The development will have limited visibility from the surrounding area and covers an area of around 3 acres. We will also be improving the landscaping features around the proposed site to provide additional visual screening and biodiversity enhancements.
Your feedback is very important to us. Please leave a comment and one of our project team will get back to you as soon as possible.
30 Queen Square
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+44 (0) 117 214 1982
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30 Queen Square
Bristol BS1 4ND
+44 (0) 117 214 1982