Crabtree Road Energy Storage

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CRABTREE ROAD ENERGY STORAGE PROJECT Public Information June 2022

Crabtree Road Energy Storage Project

Welcome to our online consultation portal Welcome to our online consultation portal for the proposed development of the Crabtree Road Energy Storage Project - a new battery energy storage facility at Crabtree Road, Ballynahinch being brought forward on behalf of Newbridge Energy Holdings Ltd. As part of the pre-application community consultation process, we are providing information about the proposal and giving everyone an opportunity to provide feedback before we submit a planning application to the planning authority. We would encourage everyone to read the project information and please share any feedback you have with us. To be considered during the design process, feedback must be received by Belmont Strategy no later than 5pmonWednesday 29th June 2022. Please note that comments provided by the public during this consultation process are made directly to Belmont Strategy and not the planning authority. When a planning application is submitted, the public will have an opportunity to make submissions to the planning authority. Introducing Newbridge Energy Holdings Newbridge Energy Holdings develops renewable energy projects across Northern Ireland. Their experience covers battery storage, solar PV, onshore wind, hydroelectric and green hydrogen schemes. The company is focused on delivering vital climate mitigation projects, which are needed to help Northern Ireland tackle the effects of climate change and reduce its carbon emissions.

Energy Storage – critical to support the clean energy transition

Maximising our world-leading levels of renewables to reach net-zero

Energy storage plays a critical role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. It allows us to store renewable energy when demand is low and use it when demand is high. It also provides important support services which help with the smooth operation of the electricity grid. This is required to facilitate greater levels of renewable electricity on the system. As part of the wider effort to combat climate change, the Northern Ireland Executive has set an ambitious target that by 2030 at least 70% of our energy must come from renewables. To meet this target, we have to develop modern, sustainable infrastructure including energy storage facilities.

Energy storage is essential to help decarbonise Northern Ireland’s economy and society as a whole.

Strategic site location

Crabtree Road, Ballynahinch The proposed site for this project is located at lands 200m South East of No.12 Crabtree Road, Ballynahinch, BT23 8RH. This has been identified as an appropriate location due to its close proximity to the existing NIE Networks substation, distance from dwellings and other properties, and the suitability of the site in a planning context, which we explain further below. When in place, the energy storage project will be connected to the neighbouring substation via underground cable. Planning policy considerations Strategic planning policy allows new vital energy infrastructure to be built where it is needed, whilst ensuring that the objectives of conserving the environment and protecting residential amenity are taken into consideration. The Ards & Down Area Plan 2015 is the relevant local development plan. When reviewing the plan the site is shown to be clearly within the countryside, some distance south of the Ballynahinch settlement limit and beyond any designated Local Landscape Policy Area. Crabtree Road on which the proposed site for this project sits, is a minor road meaning that there are no special policies which apply to the site or the immediate surroundings. The ruins of Old Magheradrool Church and graveyard are found a distance north of the application site. There is, however, a limited relationship between the site and the old church due to both the intervening hedges and the large NIE sub-station site that lies immediately adjacent to the oval-shaped scheduled monument. Overall, the site is well integrated within the local landscape of rolling drumlins and there are no dwellings beside the proposed facility, making it an ideal place for the proposed development in planning policy terms.

Project Overview NIE SUB-STATION

EXISTING HEDGE ROW

CONTRACTOR COMPOUND

CRABTREE ROAD

PCSK

BESS

EXTERNAL LIGHTING COLUMN

PCSK

TX & RMU

BESS

STONED / GRAVEL AREA

BESS

PCSK

BESS

2m WIDE STRIP FOR PLANTING OF HAWTHORN HEDGEROW.

BESS

CONTRACTOR COMPOUND ENTRANCE/EXIT GATE

BESS

PCSK

TX & RMU

BESS

PCSK

BESS

PCSK

BESS

PCSK

BESS

TX & RMU

BESS

PCSK

TX & RMU

BESS

BESS COMPOUND

BESS

PCSK

BESS

90000

BESS

PCSK

BESS

PCSK

BESS

AREA OF REINFORCED CONCRETE

TX & RMU

BESS

PCSK

TX & RMU

BESS

PCSK

BESS

PCSK

SITE ENTRANCE / EXIT GATE

BESS

PCSK

BESS

TX & RMU

BESS

PCSK

TX & RMU

BESS

AREA FOR SITE ENTRANCE TO BE TARMACKED

BESS

SEE NOTE 4

BESS

PCSK

BESS

2400

BESS

TX TX TX

BESS

FENCE TO REAR OF 2.4m BY 90m VISIBILITY SPLAY

PCSK

BESS

TX & RMU

BESS

AREA OF HARD STANDING

BESS

NEW SITE ENTRANCE SIGHT LINES

BESS

PCSK

BESS

EXTERNAL LIGHTING COLUMN

BESS

PCSK

BESS

11 / 0.4KV TRANSFORMER COMPOUND

TX & RMU

STONED / GRAVEL AREA

33 / 11KV TRANSFORMER COMPOUND

FENCE TO REAR OF 2.4m BY 90m VISIBILITY SPLAY

CUSTOMER SWITCH ROOM

NIE SWITCH ROOM

NIE CONTROL ROOM

TOILET FACILITY

90000

AREA FOR CAR PARKING TO BE TARMACKED

PROPOSED 6No. CAR PARKING SPACES

SEE NOTE 4

Modern infrastructure supporting the clean energy transition The proposed site will be accessed from Crabtree Road and will include a 150 MWbattery energy storage system and associated development. In designing the proposed layout of the proposal, the experienced project team have considered key factors including operational performance, health and safety and environmental protections. When submitted, the planning application will be subject to all relevant environmental and safety assessments. When the project is in place, operation and maintenance checks will be conducted regularly (remotely and onsite). Project benefits The Crabtree Road Energy Storage Project will involve a substantial private investment in the local area and will create employment opportunities during the construction phase. In broader terms, it will make a direct contribution to Northern Ireland’s efforts to combat climate change and reduce our reliance on harmful fossil fuels. The project will help to deliver the Northern Ireland Executive’s target of at least 70% of electricity from renewables by 2030, and as a result will help to lower the region’s carbon emissions. Next steps When finalised, the planning application for the project will be submitted to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in July 2022. The council’s planning department will then process the application and it is expected that a decision will be reached within six months of the submission. In the context of the urgent need to integrate battery storage facilities in the electricity grid, Newbridge Energy is aiming to have the project built and operational by the end of 2023. CRABTREE ROAD

Providing your feedback

We would encourage all those with an interest in the project to provide their feedback. You can do this either by completing the feedback form on the project website at www.belmont-strategy. com/crabtreeroadenergystorageproject by sending us your comments via email at crabtreeroadenergystorageproject@belmont strategy.com or via post to Crabtree Road Energy Storage Project, Belmont Strategy, Arthur House, 41 Arthur Street, Belfast, BT1 4GB. You can also contact a member of our project team via telephone between the hours of 9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday on 028 9044 6744. To be considered during the design process, feedback must be received by the Belmont Strategy team no later than 5pmonWednesday 29th June 2022.

Please note that comments provided by the public during this consultation process are made directly to Belmont Strategy and not the planning authority. When a planning application is submitted, the normal neighbour notification process will be carried out and the public will have an opportunity to make submissions to the planning authority. Please note that your details will be shared with the project team including external consultants. The information you provide will only be used for the purpose of this project. Thank you for your time Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the Crabtree Road Energy Storage project. We hope that you found the consultation materials useful, and we look forward to receiving and reviewing your feedback. Should you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us directly. Belmont Strategy Arthur House 41 Arthur Street Belfast BT1 4GB 028 9044 6744 www.belmont-strategy.com/crabtreeroadenergystorageproject crabtreeroadenergystorageproject@belmont-strategy.com

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