Italian Commission Rejects Battery Plants in Verziano's Protected Green Belt

The Loggia Commission has delivered a firm 'no' to two proposed electrochemical storage plants in Verziano, Italy. The commission cited the area's designation as a "peri-urban agricultural zone," intended to consolidate a "green embrace" around the city, as the primary reason for its rejection. The decision, communicated to the Lombardy Region which oversees the authorization process, leaves no room for misinterpretation.

"In the peri-urban agricultural area, any transformation is permitted only if strictly subordinate to activities functional to the Park," the commission stated. It further elaborated that the installation of these industrial battery plants "cannot be attributed to the objectives of environmental safeguarding, agricultural enhancement, or public use inherent to the Park."

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In the peri-urban agricultural area, any transformation is permitted only if strictly subordinate to activities functional to the Park. And the installation of such industrial storage plants is not attributable to the objectives of environmental safeguarding, agricultural enhancement, or public use inherent to the Park.

Urban planning assessor Michela Tiboni, supported by environmental assessor Camilla Bianchi, emphasized that the area is classified as "border agricultural land," crucial for reinforcing the city's "green embrace." This green space is vital for mitigating summer temperatures, which recently reached a high of 39.4°C. The proposed large lithium battery installations would lead to the consumption of agricultural land and impermeabilization, directly conflicting with the area's rural vocation and the city's Green and Biodiversity Plan.

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The large lithium batteries 'would involve consumption of agricultural land and impermeabilization inconsistent with maintaining the rural vocation of the area' and would conflict with the Municipality's Green and Biodiversity Plan.

Proposed vegetational mitigations, such as surrounding the plant with trees, were deemed insufficient to compensate for the impact and the significant visual transformation of the landscape. The consumption of soil would also hinder the "natural connection corridors" identified by the plan as essential for climate resilience and local biodiversity. Furthermore, it would impede the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions aimed at improving the agroecosystem and revitalizing the water network.

The Brescia municipal Landscape Commission also voiced its opposition, highlighting that the two projects involve "the installation of approximately 200 battery containers, prefabricated cabins, internal roadways, fences, and platforms," which would cause a "high degree of alteration, well beyond the threshold of tolerance."

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the two works 'involve the installation of about 200 battery containers, prefabricated cabins, internal roadways, fences and platforms,' which involve 'a high degree of alteration, well beyond the threshold of tolerance.'