Energy firms Elmya and RPC have unveiled proposals for more than 1,000 containers to be installed across farmland in Rushall

Plans for a mega battery storage site in the Norfolk countryside have sparked concern among locals.

Energy firms Elmya and RPC have unveiled their proposals for more than 1,000 containers to be installed across farmland in Rushall.

The new battery energy storage system (BESS) would store excess energy from renewable sources such as solar or wind farms to save electricity for later use.

It comes after the two companies sought permission to connect to the National Grid near the village of Gissing in order to build a major new, 5,000 acre solar farm.

Gissing is about five miles from Rushall, on the other side of the A140, suggesting the solar project – which would be by far the largest in the UK – may spread between both villages on a patchwork of fields.

The scheme, named Dodd’s Wood, would be developed on land east of Cutting’s Road in Rushall.

It could include as many as 1,035 battery containers with a capacity of 900 megawatts.

Elmya and RPC have not disclosed the exact location and size of their proposed solar farm in Gissing, but hope to generate 900 megawatts at the site.

The plans have sparked fears among locals of potential fire risks because of the lithium within the batteries, which can cause an explosion when overheated.

Parish councillor Lisa Buck said she was concerned there was “a high risk” the facility could catch fire.

“This project represents a worrying trend, about profit, not people or the planet. If we allow this here, no rural community will be safe from industrial-scale developments,” she said.

“We are not anti-renewable energy, but this is the wrong project, in the wrong place, done in the wrong way.”

However, the energy firms have stressed there are “common misconceptions” about the degree of risk and said the BESS will be continuously monitored to detect changes in temperature.

Fire-resistant barriers and containment systems will also be installed to prevent the spread of any potential fire to the surrounding environment.

The project is currently in the consultation stage and a planning application has not yet been submitted to South Norfolk Council, which will determine its future.

In addition to the new Gissing solar farm, there are also proposals for East Pye, which will cover 2,700 acres around villages near Long Stratton.

There is also another near Long Stratton, set to span roughly 2,500 acres.