MORE than 100 “shipping containers” are set to be built on green belt land to store batteries, just metres from a huge solar panel farm.

The A129 in Rayleigh could have a new solar panel farm, the equivalent of 61 football fields in size, to power more than 9,000 homes on one side of the road, and now 108 cabins to store electricity on the other.

Plans to build the units away from the road, which will include a security fence and a new track off the A129 into the field, are set to be given the go ahead this week.

The steel cabins, in which a battery will sit inside, are almost three metres in height, 2.4 metres in width, and have a depth of 12 metres.

READ MORE:

The plans are not linked.

Concerns have been raised about putting the storage units on green belt land.

James Newport, councillor for Downhall and Rawreth, said: “The plans are slightly more palatable as a huge wind turbine has been removed.

“The concerns I have, and the questions that need to be answered, is how will the batteries be disposed of?

“A lot of people are sensitive to the fact it’s on green belt land. I hope the technology for the batteries lends itself to be green.

“We could have a solar panel on one side, and this on the other. I just hope it makes sense for climate change.”

Former plans for the site included a huge gas power fired station, with half the number of battery storage units.

A substation, switch room and control building will be built.

The fencing surrounding the site will be 2.5 metres in height.

Rawreth Parish Council objected to the plans.

A spokesman said: “The council is unhappy about the new access onto the A129 and the council would like to see an arrangement made with National Grid to use their access further towards the east.

“The continuing industrialisation of the small strip of countryside between Wickford and Rawreth and Rayleigh is further erosion of the limited habitat.”

Documents state that the plans class as “inappropriate development” on green belt land, but due to the “critical infrastructure” of the scheme, Rochford Council will approve the plans.