Heath Wakefield: Battery storage plans criticised amid concerns women's history is being 'written out'
Controversial plans to build a battery storage facility in a Wakefield village have been recommended for approval, despite criticism from campaigners who argued the development ignores the legacies of trailblazing historical women.
The application, that would see a 72-unit lithium ion battery energy storage system (BESS) built on farmland near Heath, has been met with more than 1,200 objections - including claims it could pose a fire risk and anger over the loss of conservation land.
But planning officers from Wakefield Council have advised members to back the proposal from Harmony Energy, as bosses said the seven-hectare scheme would help Britain reach net zero targets and that their cultural heritage assessment was “robust”.
However, historian and campaigner Sarah Cobham is among those who have criticised the plans, arguing that they dismiss the legacy of several significant women who are often forgotten.
They include Dame Mary Bolles, a pivotal figure in the English Civil War whose strategic actions helped turn the tide in Parliament’s favour. Sarah said that the site of the proposed battery farm sits on land that once formed the landscaped parkland of Heath Old Hall, the Bolles family estate.
Lady Bolles commissioned the striking water tower that still stands on the site - a rare example of early 17th century engineering that overlooks what was once her estate’s formal grounds.
“Her actions and decisions have not even been acknowledged in this proposal,” argued Sarah. “It really annoys me that her contributions to English history are not recognised.”
Also sidelined is Lady Mary Green, said Sarah. Her detailed historical account of Heath Old Hall, written in the 20th century, provides rare insight into the estate’s original parkland - the area now earmarked for development.
Another overlooked figure, Sarah argued, is Eliza Gleadall - a 19th century Wakefield writer and satirist who lived near Heath and often referenced the area’s social life and landscapes in her work. Much of Gleadall’s writing formed a bold commentary on the constraints placed on women in Victorian society.
Sarah leads a group called The Forgotten Women of Wakefield, that works to uncover and celebrate the stories of influential women whose contributions have historically been overlooked.
She said the group sees the BESS plans as part of a broader pattern of erasing women’s heritage from the landscape and public memory.
“We work really hard to bring these women out of the shadows - and we’ve rescued their legacies. It’s just really, really annoying that what we do is never taken seriously.
“Women from Wakefield have fundamentally changed the landscape of the country in so many ways. The water tower in Heath is a mechanical engineering anomaly, for example.”
Sarah added: “As a woman in 2025, I look around and see a lack of positive female role models across every sphere - political, social, cultural - so, the women of our past provide incredible role models for the women of today.
“They acted with incredible tenacity and integrity. I’m hoping the council understand there’s a wider issue of women’s history being completely written out. It's about redressing historic inequalities and unfairness.”
The I Love Heath Common campaign group has also opposed the scheme, arguing that “there is nothing renewable about a battery storage facility” - and that it instead represents “a business opportunity”.
The application was first submitted in 2022 and will go before Wakefield Council’s planning committee on Thursday (July 17). Planning officers have said the land was previously green belt but has since been reclassified as “grey belt”, and that there are “no technical reasons to withhold planning permission”.
Harmony Energy has argued that “schemes would not be financeable or insurable if they were deemed to be a significant risk,” and that no properties within the village of Heath would be able to see the site.
In a statement, the company said: “Harmony Energy is one of the UK’s leading renewable energy developers and takes a considered approach to site selection.
“The proposed development sits immediately adjacent to the existing Northern Powergrid substation and has been carefully designed with screening, landscaping and a 156% biodiversity net gain.
“As part of the planning process, detailed heritage and visual impact assessments have been carried out by independent experts. Historic England has also not objected to the proposals.
“Sites would not be recommended for approval by council planning officers, nor would they be financeable or insurable, if they were considered unsafe. We have also worked with West Yorkshire Fire Services to discuss health and safety measures.
“Projects like ours are vital in developing a sustainable, homegrown energy system, which has never been more important following recent turbulence and reliance on global supply. They enable renewable energy to flourish and bring significant investment to the UK economy by attracting skilled jobs and increasing local business rates.”
The company has lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate over delays in a decision on the plans - and a public inquiry is expected as a result.
Joe Jenkinson, Wakefield Council’s Service Director for Planning, Transportation and Strategic Highways, said: “All comments have been considered and the officer report acknowledges the issues raised from these. The report is publicly available to view on the council website and explains the reason for the recommendation.
“The Council’s Planning and Highways Committee will now take onboard all relevant information before they decide how to proceed.”