Upton Magna parents oppose plans for battery site near school

A group of parents whose children attend a rural primary school have said they are concerned by proposals to build a battery storage plant nearby.

These sites, also known as battery energy storage systems (BESS), hold energy generated from wind or solar and release it when needed, but there are concerns about fire safety due to the lithium used in the batteries.

Elgin Energy's plans for the site would put it less than one kilometre from St Lucia's Primary School and Nursery in Upton Magna, Shropshire.

The firm has said it has "taken on board guidance from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and the National Fire Chiefs Council" when designing the site.

Planning documents state that the school is 811 metres from a "potential fire source", although local residents have claimed 610 metres is a more accurate figure.

Kryssy Sochacki's daughter is a student at the primary school, and feels "terrified" by the prospect.

"My main focus has been around the safety of the school," she said.

"We fully recognise the importance of renewable energy," Sochacki added, but said "the pursuit of renewable energy shouldn't come at the expense of children's safety".

"This is just far too close to the school."

The excess electricity is stored in BESS, usually inside lithium-ion batteries, so when conditions are calm and overcast it can be sent back into the power grid.

Concerns around fire safety stems from the lithium within the batteries, which can cause an explosion when it overheats.

A fire at a battery storage unit in Nottinghamshire in May 2026 saw residents advised to keep doors and windows closed.

In planning documents, the school is noted to be one of the locations "at greatest risk" of being affected by smoke in the event of a fire.

The smoke plume assessment suggests that "winds from the southwest" could carry smoke towards the school "approximately 18% of the time during a fire event".

In its planning application, submitted by agents Berry's, Elgin Energy said it had consulted both Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and the National Fire Chiefs Council".

It also said the plans for the 10-acre site had been drawn up with "safety as a priority".

It said that included measures including "fire detection in each container, over-temperature protection, ventilation systems, and aerosol fire extinguishing system".

Of the 87 public comments on Shropshire Council's planning portal, 85 are objections and just two are in support.

According to the National Fire Chiefs Council , "BESS fires are challenging to extinguish and can continue to burn from several hours to several days."

Its guidance adds that "smoke plumes from fires can also harm air quality" and that attempting to extinguish a BESS fire using water could "result in large volumes of contaminated fire-water runoff which can have a long-term impact on the environment".

As such, the NFCC said the "prevailing view" was to adopt a "controlled burn to minimise runoff."

Stef Thomas has two children at the primary school, and said the close proximity of the battery site was her main concern.

"If there was a fire, the wind blows in [the direction of the school] more often than not," she said.

"It's frightening, honestly, it's a massive worry.

"Why would we want any sort of chance, any sort of risk to our children, even with like a 1% chance?"

Laura Potts, another parent, said: "It's really concerning, and it's frightening."

She added that she wanted to see more communication "on what would happen in an emergency".

"The safety of the children is of the utmost importance," Potts said.

"I think the safety of our children in the schools should be considered more important than even the education itself."

The area is represented on Shropshire Council by Reform UK's Brendan Mallon, who said he had "many concerns" about the BESS plans.

Mallon said he feared that a fire at the site could "shut down" the adjacent A5, which in turn could, he said, affect the ability of the emergency services to respond.

He added that he believed battery storage plants should instead be built on "remote sites, preferably industrial sites".

Mallon said that should the BESS be approved, he would feel "extremely let down," adding that the potential impact on the school "should have been applied at the start and rejected".

A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said that "all planning applications are considered on their merits," with comments raised as part of the consultation taken into account.

Elgin Energy, planning agent Berry's, and St Lucia's CofE Primary School and Nursery have all been contacted for comment.

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