Plans for an energy storage plant could be formally refused if councillors stand by a decision to block the scheme.
More than 1,000 people objected to Harmony Energy’s proposal for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on land near Ledston and Allerton Bywater.
A Leeds City Council plans panel decided against granting planning permission on 24 July, citing the impact on green belt land and fire risks.
Formal reasons for refusal were then drawn up and could be agreed at a meeting on Thursday, 21 August.
But council officers have warned it is “extremely likely” the applicant would lodge an appeal, potentially leaving the council liable for costs.
They said the council recently lost two separate appeals over similar BESS schemes.
And a report to the meeting said that nationally, almost all appeals against BESS refusals this year had been successful.
It said: “Members will need to be mindful of these appeals in reaching a final decision on this application.
“In terms of the national context, a search of planning appeals reveals that since the start of 2025 a total of 25 appeal decisions for BESS proposals have been issued.
“Of those, 24 have been allowed and one was dismissed.”
BESS plants are designed to store electricity which can be fed into the grid when demand is high, helping to stabilise energy supplies.
Plans for the Allerton Bywater plant were resubmitted after first being refused in November 2023.
The July panel was told changes had since been made to national planning policy, meaning some green belt land could be classed as “grey belt” – deemed less environmentally important.
That was disputed by action group Save our Villages and council leader James Lewis, who represents Kippax and Methley and spoke against the scheme.
Planning documents show Harmony was also refused permission by Leeds City Council for a BESS at Warren Lane in Bramham, but successfully appealed.
A decision notice granting permission was issued by the Planning Inspectorate on 15 July.
The council lost a second appeal over a BESS planned for Westfield Road in Carlton, near Rothwell. That appeal, by Firma Vogt Solar Ltd, was upheld on 14 July.
Both applications were for green belt sites and both were refused on similar grounds to the Allerton Bywater scheme.
