Battery Energy Storage SAY NO campaign

IMPORTANT – some of you will be aware that there are leaflets coming through your door about signing a petition saying no to the Battery Energy Site. There are a lot of us doing this leaflet drop at the moment because even though the site has been withdrawn, they can still put in an application again within the next 12 months.

The petition is asking that no such sites should be allowed to be developed on greenbelt land and near properties, so it might not just effect the Westfield Road site it might be in the future for any such applications on other greenbelt land and near property. We need to get 10,000 signatures for us to receive a response from the government (something in writing giving their viewpoint) and if we are absolutely brilliant at our media and sharing and we got 100,000 signatures it has to be debated in parliament.

This does not just effect our local area it could be anywhere in the country so it might be you have friends or family anywhere that could find the same thing happening. Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you want to sign the petition please share to as many people as possible.

For anyone who has yet to sign the petition or are perhaps wary of the link, here’s the QR code if needed.

Please share far and wide.

Battery Energy Storage update on Westfield Road

The objections are in and we are awaiting a decision from Council. Thank you to everyone who put forward objections.

There is still a concern that even if the application gets rejected by the local council should there be an appeal by the developer if will go to be decided by Planning Inspectors on behalf of the Secretary of State to make a final decision. This is what happened with the Strawberry Fields site. Unfortunately some of these appeals have already gone ahead in other parts of the country and they have been successful even though they are on greenbelt land.

We understand the need for these sites but feel they should not be built anywhere near properties or schools and preferably in industrial areas. With this in mind a petition has been started by local residents stating as such and they need to get 10,000 signatures for this to get a response by the government. They need to get this into the spotlight.

This isn’t just about it being on Westfield Road it is also about the fact that if this goes ahead it practically means they could be built anywhere, they could be in a field near you, they emit noise, they are known to set alight and takes days to put out producing toxic clouds. It would be absolutely fantastic if you would like to sign the petition but not only that share, share, share.

Petition: Ban Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in residential areas

Battery Store, Westfield Road – Timeline

Following the publication of the application to construct a Battery Energy Storage System – BESS – on Westfield Road, the CVNF Steering Group feel we should give you a timeline of the events as we understand them.

Firstly, the CVNF firmly rejects the assertion from the applicant that there were emails received on 30th August and 6th September 2022 in regard to the proposed development.

In fact , the CVNF Chair was not approached by the Planning Dept until the 21st September 2022 asking for the contact details “for an applicant who proposes a new development off Westfield Road, Carlton. The applicant wishes to engage with a local forum on the proposal.”

The Planning Dept representative stated that they [Planning] wanted the applicant to engage with the Forum before a formal application was made, reiterating that they were limited in what they could divulge about it as it was at pre app stage only.

The contact details were duly provided and to this day, no contact has been made.

What we now know:

A pre application discussion took place with the Planning Dept around August / September 2022 and ward councillors were advised of it.

A pre-application discussion is one that a developer has with the Council to consider whether they want to submit an application, usually to gauge what they might need to change to be more likely to get permission.

Those discussions are confidential because an application has not been submitted. Therefore councillors are not allowed to comment publicly on applications which have not yet been submitted. The applicant did NOT include the Neighbourhood Forum in the pre app discussion.

By December when no further information or approach was made by the applicant, the CVNF contacted Cllr Golton who advised he was unaware of any application having been submitted.

The first time we heard any detailed information was, like everyone else, when the Planning dept posted the notices and concerned residents contacted us. Since then we have contacted the Planning Dept and our Councillors urging them to insist the applicant withdraws the statement related to the two emails and also to request that the Council considers an extension to the timeframe of 7th March for responding to the proposal as there is such a lot of information to digest and to give the Community time to lodge responses. We have also requested via Planning, the opportunity to hold a Community meeting with the applicant and we are awaiting a response.

The CVNF objects to the proposed development and will be logging this on the Planning Portal.

If you wish to comment there is a time limit and you can do so via the Portal quoting Reference : 23/00450/FU

www.leeds.gov.uk/publicaccess

Or email : planning@leeds.gov.uk

or in writing to :

Planning Services
Leeds City Council
Merrion House
110 Merrion Centre
LEEDS LS2 8BB

Reference : 23/00450/FU
Include your full name and address in your letter

View and comment on planning applications

Jubilee Celebrations

Well it was a very busy, happy,fun,sunshine filled Jubilee Picnic at the Cricket Club with Carlton Primary School PTFA. We all thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Carlton Cricket Club you were great hosts. Julie & Ian you were fantastic. 👏👏👏

Carlton Primary School PTFA you were all fabulous.😊

Carlton Scouts – thanks for the heavy lifting & hope you are closer to your fund raising target.💲

CVNF team were tremendous keeping the scones buttered (jam first !) even hand delivering round the grounds and the plant pots painted planted and packed off with their delighted new owner including Cllr Chapman!

Thank you to all the friends new & old, neighbours and visitors to the Village who came and made the day a success.

Don’t forget those pics of your painted plant pots.

There were some superb painting skills demonstrated as well as a few budding gardners among the young people who painted their pots.

Enjoy the rest of your bank holiday 😄

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Survey Results

The Forum has been making headway on a Neighbourhood Plan and has begun by compiling a Policy Intentions document (PID), which acts as the plan’s foundation. The PID looks at how the Vision and Objectives for Carlton can be achieved through the Plan.

To be able to address a number of the objectives, the Forum compiled and distributed a survey to Carlton residents in September/October 2020 with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability within the village. There was a very good response to the survey and the results and comments can be viewed below: