Cherwell District Council has given the green light for a 52MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at Yarnton, Oxfordshire. Once operational, the energy storage system will enable energy from renewable generation sources to be stored and released when the network requires, helping to maintain grid stability. The proposed scheme was carefully designed following statutory and local stakeholder engagement and will be built on approximately 1.5 hectares of land to the east of the A44.

The BESS application was consented by members of Cherwell District Council Planning Committee on the 20th March 2025 with the Council’s decision notice issued on the 13th June following the completion of ecological studies. Renewable Connections, one of the UK’s leading solar and battery developers, submitted the application in November 2024. The approval marks Renewable Connections 27th project consent since 2021.

Michael Hughes, CEO at Renewable Connections said: “We welcome the decision by Cherwell District Council to approve Yarnton Battery Energy Storage System. This project will help to tackle the climate emergency in Oxfordshire by using smart technology to identify when to store or release energy to the grid and meet peak demand. This will enable renewable energy to be used even when the conditions for generation are not being met, helping to support a more stable and reliable energy network, and supporting the UK towards a net zero future.”

The Yarnton BESS site in Oxfordshire is enclosed and bound by Woodstock Road to the south, Green Lane to the north and west, and a railway line to the east.

The UK Government estimates that the implementation of battery energy storage systems could save the UK energy system up to £40 billion in operating costs by 2050*, helping reduce individual energy bills.