The Planning Committee of Kingston upon Thames Council met on Wednesday 28 May 2025, deciding on two planning applications. The committee granted permission for a battery energy storage system's cable route and approved the change of use of land for school playing fields.

Battery Energy Storage System Cable Route Approved

The committee granted permission for the installation of a section of cable route within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK) that will connect a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility in the Mole Valley District Council area to the Chessington Electricity Distribution Site (EDS). The application, reference 24/02168/FUL, was for a major development and recommended for approval.

The proposed cable route, approximately 3.4km long, will be installed underground along the Leatherhead Road (A243) and Fairoak Lane (B280). The main planning considerations for this part of the development were transport/highways, flooding and drainage, and construction impacts on neighbouring residential properties. The BESS facility itself is being assessed by Mole Valley District Council.

Permission was granted subject to the approval of the BESS by Mole Valley District Council, along with a set of conditions and the finalisation of a legal agreement. These conditions and agreements will cover aspects such as the finalisation of conditions by the Director of Planning and Regeneration in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee, and the negotiation of planning obligations.

The site is designated as Green Belt land, and while development in the Green Belt is generally considered inappropriate, the NPPF allows for 'engineering operations' if they preserve the openness of the Green Belt. The report concluded that traffic generated during the construction period would be managed through conditions and legal agreements, thus not impacting the openness of the Green Belt. The temporary nature of the BESS development (40 years) was also noted as mitigating long-term impacts.

Concerns regarding the impact on heritage assets, specifically the Grade II listed 'Coal Duty Boundary Post', were addressed, with officers concluding that the underground nature of the cable would have no permanent adverse effects. Archaeological assessments indicated no significant archaeological interest for the cable route.

The proposal was considered acceptable regarding residential amenity, with noise and disturbance during construction to be managed by a Construction Management Plan. Highway and transportation impacts were deemed acceptable, subject to agreements with Transport for London (TfL) and the council's Neighbourhood Traffic Engineer. Biodiversity and ecology were addressed through a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal and a Biodiversity Net Gain Plan, with mitigation measures to be secured by condition. Similarly, impacts on trees and landscaping were considered acceptable, with recommendations from an Arboricultural Impact Assessment to be secured by condition. Flood risk and drainage were deemed acceptable as the cable route is in Flood Zone 1 and the trench would be backfilled to its existing condition.

The decision to permit the application was made with substantial weight given to the wider environmental benefits of supporting a renewable energy project and the transition to a low carbon economy.

Hobkirk House and Noble Centre Site Change of Use Approved

The committee also approved the change of use of land at the Hobkirk House and Noble Centre, Blagdon Road, New Malden, KT3 4BD, to a school playing field (Use Class F1) to form part of Burlington Junior School. This decision, relating to application 25/00267/KPSID, was made under delegated powers by the Assistant Director Strategic Planning and Infrastructure and was withdrawn from the committee agenda.

The application sought to expand Burlington Junior School's facilities by incorporating an additional 2,560 sqm of land, previously part of a former care home and physiotherapy centre. This expansion is necessary to compensate for play space lost due to previous school development. The proposal includes new boundary treatments, landscaping, and the removal of existing Cypress trees, to be replaced by new planting.

The principle of development was considered appropriate, aligning with national and local policies that support the provision of education facilities and give great weight to the need for school places. The change of use from former healthcare facilities to a school playing field was deemed acceptable, as the council's policy resists the net loss of community facilities unless specific criteria are met, which was considered to be the case here.

Concerns raised by neighbours regarding the loss of Cypress trees and potential noise disturbance were addressed. The report noted that new trees would be planted and recommended a condition for acoustic fencing along the northern boundary to mitigate noise. The Environmental Protection Officer recommended conditions for a Construction Method Statement, construction hours, and control of dust and emissions.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) was a significant consideration, with the proposal exceeding the 10% target, delivering a 263.47% gain. This was achieved through proposed habitat creation, including grassland, scrub, hedgerow, and new trees, detailed in a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP). The removal of existing trees was justified as they were of low quality, and new planting was proposed.

Highway impacts were considered neutral, as there would be no increase in vehicle or pedestrian access from the northern parcel of the Hobkirk Noble site, and no additional car parking or cycle parking facilities were required. Flood risk and drainage were also deemed acceptable, as the proposed playing field would be a porous surface and would not increase impermeable areas.

The Environmental Health Officer recommended a condition requiring a desktop study and potential site investigation to address land contamination, given previous discoveries on the school site. Fire safety was considered adequately managed by the school's existing strategy, as the proposal involved open space.

The committee concluded that the benefits of providing additional school playing fields, coupled with significant biodiversity enhancements, outweighed any potential harms, leading to the approval of the application subject to conditions.