Councillors reject plans for battery storage site near Elgin

A major green energy development set for a site near Elgin has been refused by the council.

Opdenergy UK put forward an application for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that would have been built near Quarrywood in Elgin but councillors voted to refuse the application at Thursday’s meeting.

The council’s planning team had recommended the application be granted but a motion put forward by Green councillor Draeyk Van Der Horn (Forres) and seconded by Councillor Neil Cameron (Heldon and Laich, SNP) saw the application refused after winning the vote eight to two.

Cllr Cameron was concerned about the loss of farmland that the development was set to be built on.

He added: “We have already decimated a great deal of our prime agriculture land – this is not helping.”

Although he was assured by the officers that according to national policy renewable developments can be an exception, Cllr Cameron was not “entirely convinced”.

Cllr Van Der Horn shared his concern and pointed out that Scottish Fire and Rescue had not responded to the application and said it was also missing a financial deal to cover the costs at the end of the site’s lifespan.

He described this absence as a “huge” missing element.

The officer explained that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had apologised for missing the deadline for response but explained any risk of fire would be covered by the conditions already in place.

But Cllr Van Der Horn continued with his decision to refuse the application.

He said: “We have been asked to make a decision on the information we have been given – but the information is not there.”

Concern for potential breeding skylarks was brought up by Councillor Amber Dunbar (Elgin City North, Conservative).

Referencing TV show Clarkson’s Farm, she worried that the development could have an impact on the species but the officer assured her that wildlife and birds were covered by planning conditions.

But Councillor Paul McBain (Forres, Conservative) pointed out the importance of the development and said “this is not our first rodeo”.

Addressing the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s lack of response, he said: “If they have not objected then why should we – there is a demand for storage.”

His move to grant the application was seconded by Labour councillor Sandy Keith (Elgin City North) referring to the move towards green energy he said, “sometimes you have to get on with it”.

But following the vote the motion to refuse the application won and the BESS was rejected.