Battery boxes planned by substations across five West Cumbria spots Five small battery storage sites planned next to substations in Workington, Lillyhall, Flimby, Distington and Hensingham
Marra Mode is how your mate would tell you down the pub over a pint. Switch it off for the straight version.
An energy firm wants to put battery units on bits of grass by substations in Workington, Lillyhall, Flimby, Distington and Hensingham. Applications are in now if you want to have your say.
This one's for anybody living near five little plots in West Cumbria where an energy firm wants to put battery units next to the substations.
AMP has put in five applications to Cumberland Council for micro battery storage. All five went live on 26 October 2026:
Salisbury Street, Workington (FUL/2026/0140) Jubilee Road, Lillyhall (FUL/2026/0142) Risehow Industrial Estate, Flimby (FUL/2026/0141) Between Barfs Road and the A595 at Distington (4/26/2335/0F1), a 271 square metre bit of grass right next to a substation By Hensingham Day Centre on Moresby Road, Whitehaven (4/26/2336/0F1), a 201 square metre grass verge across from a substation
The idea is the batteries soak up electricity when there's loads on the grid and let it back out when folk need it. A noise report from SLR Consulting, sent in with the plans, is based on four Huawei units. It says they'd be 47.8 decibels a metre from the front, dropping to about 29 at 10 metres and about 24 at 25 metres from the side. That's quieter than a normal chat.
A similar AMP scheme near Silloth has just been passed. That one's four battery boxes, each 4.6 metres long, behind a 2.4 metre green mesh fence, and the firm reckons it could run 200 homes for four hours.
If you want a look or a say, put the reference numbers into the Cumberland Council planning search. The case officers are Kelly Hampson for the Workington-area ones and Heather Morrison for Distington and Hensingham.
Energy firm AMP has applied to Cumberland Council for five micro battery storage schemes on small plots beside electricity substations. A noise study puts the units at 47.8 decibels a metre away, dropping quickly with distance.
This is for people living near five small plots of land in West Cumbria, where an energy company wants to install battery storage units beside existing electricity substations.
AMP has applied to Cumberland Council for five micro battery storage schemes. All five applications were validated on 26 October 2026:
Land at Salisbury Street, Workington (FUL/2026/0140) Land at Jubilee Road, Lillyhall (FUL/2026/0142) Land at Risehow Industrial Estate, Flimby (FUL/2026/0141) Land between Barfs Road and the A595, Distington (4/26/2335/0F1), a 271 square metre grassed verge directly beside an existing substation Land at Hensingham Day Centre, Moresby Road, Whitehaven (4/26/2336/0F1), a 201 square metre vacant grass verge opposite an existing substation
The batteries store electricity when the grid has plenty and release it when demand is higher. A noise assessment by SLR Consulting, submitted with the plans, is based on four Huawei battery units. It puts the sound at 47.8 decibels a metre from the front, falling to about 29 decibels at 10 metres and about 24 decibels at 25 metres from the side.
A similar AMP scheme near Silloth was recently approved. That one has four battery boxes, each 4.6 metres long, behind a 2.4 metre green mesh fence, and the firm said it could power 200 homes for four hours.
What you can do: search the reference numbers on the Cumberland Council planning applications search to read the plans, noise report and drawings, and to comment. The case officers are Kelly Hampson for the Workington-area sites and Heather Morrison for Distington and Hensingham.