MVDC has allowed the developer of the Merton College Woods Field BESS to withdraw an application submitted to support the company's claimed satisfaction of seven of the planning conditions imposed at the time of approval of the development. The overall development, however, remains on course for connection to the grid, the developer hopes, in October 2027.

This follows reservations expressed by the Environment Agency regarding the lack of details of the planned tree plantings within an 8 metre buffer zone alongside Rye Brook which did not provide the information needed for the EA to assess the impacts on flood risk, biodiversity, river processes and the ecological function of this Main River corridor.

In addition, following the evaluation of a trial trench which revealed archaeology, Surrey County Council's Senior Archaeologist has required that all fieldwork  be completed and a satisfactory final report, including any further mitigation that may be required to protect the archaeology, has been submitted by the applicant and approved in writing by the planning authority. 

Details of the archaeology found in the test trench are being sought.