400MW battery storage approved after council appeal loss

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes · Last updated: 27 September 2026

Welsh planning inspectors have allowed developers Innova to build a 400MW battery storage site near Rhostyllen, Wrexham, after the local authority missed its statutory decision deadline and the matter was decided on appeal. Innova says the facility could power 900,000 homes; campaigners and local councillors say residents were left without effective representation at the hearing. The appeal was heard by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales after Wrexham council failed to decide the application in time, and the inspector later concluded the council had “acted unreasonably”, leaving the authority exposed to a costs invoice from the developer.

We were told by Wrexham planning department that they would represent us vocally and with evidence,

Alan Jones, chairman of Esclusham Community Group

What was approved and the case behind it

Planning inspectors at Planning and Environment Decisions Wales granted permission on appeal for a 400MW battery energy storage system proposed by Innova on land near Rhostyllen. The permission followed an appeal because Wrexham council did not reach a decision within the statutory period, triggering determination by the inspectorate rather than by the local authority.

Innova has described the scheme as able to supply the equivalent of 900,000 homes, a figure the developer uses to frame the project's system-scale contribution to balancing renewable generation and the grid. The inspector's decision also recorded the council's procedural failings, including the finding it had acted unreasonably, which opened the council to a costs claim from the developer.

Why residents say they were 'let down'

Local campaigners and community councillors say they were promised vocal representation by Wrexham planning officers but did not get it at the appeal hearing in July. Alan Jones, chairman of Esclusham Community Group, told campaigners they were not represented and said that, because of that absence, residents had no further route to appeal the inspector's decision.

Concerns raised by campaigners include the loss of agricultural land, impacts on biodiversity, changes to the area's character and fire safety risks tied to large-scale battery installations. Community councillor Mark Andrew said the inspector noted no evidence was presented against the case for the battery farm, a point residents cite as central to their grievance with the council's handling.

Practical consequences: costs, construction and oversight

Wrexham council said a senior officer attended the hearing and argued forcefully for the planning committee's reasons, but the authority now faces an invoice for costs after the inspector concluded it had acted unreasonably. The decision text did not specify the amount of that invoice.

Innova said it welcomed the appeal's outcome and pledged to keep nearby residents informed as the scheme advances toward construction. Local residents and councillors said they will press for greater transparency on construction timetables, safety measures and biodiversity mitigation as the scheme moves from consent towards delivery.

How the consenting and delivery case could unfold

The bottom line

The decision to allow Innova's 400MW battery storage site follows an appeal prompted by a missed deadline from Wrexham council and leaves local people and councillors feeling let down by how their objections were handled. The inspector's finding that the council acted unreasonably exposes the authority to a costs claim and has intensified local demands for clearer information on safety and environmental safeguards. As Innova moves towards construction, close attention from residents and the council will determine whether consent translates into an accepted development on the ground.

What to watch

• Watch for Innova to publish a construction start date; no date has been set.
• Watch for Wrexham council to confirm receipt and the size of the costs invoice from Innova; no date has been set.