Construction of huge battery storage site in Ayrshire branded 'nightmare' by community

As many as four battery energy storage systems (BESS) are planned within a one-mile radius in Kilmarnock, causing chaos for local residents.

Billed as key to helping Scotland meet crucial net zero targets, the facilities store excess wind or solar power to be stored for future use.

Locals near one site in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire claim the huge disruption and lack of consultation and communication has turned them into a by-product of big business, railroading small communities.

Local resident Jane Dalrymple moved to the area to escape the noise of city living.

She told STV News: “It’s a nightmare, a nightmare. I’d already rather be back in a town and away from this constant construction on my doorstep.

“We’ve just become a by-product of what is big business for everybody concerned, except for us.”

Kirsteen Watson said up to 150 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) a day pass her home STV News

Neighbour Kirsteen Watson claimed the constant construction is taking a huge toll on their daily lives.

The C road, normally reserved for local traffic, is being widened, hedgerows are being taken away and construction work begins as early as 7am, five days a week.

She said: “We could have 100, maybe 150, HGVS a day passing us on this road and the road passes our properties, literally feet away.

“It’s so busy and that’s for one project, we’ve potentially got five projects being planned for in this area.”

Homeowner Lesley Laird said that the “impact of that has been horrendous on local residents” and claimed her home has been damaged and experienced flooding because of the works.

The C road through Kilmarnock is being widened as part of construction works STV News

A traffic light system is in place to make the road safer for local use but Lesley says this was only implemented after numerous complaints and meetings with East Ayrshire Council.

Stephen Chard, who lives near one proposed BESS development in the area, said: “We all acknowledge the importance of Scotland’s net zero targets. But all over Scotland, communities are facing the sort of disruption that’s being experienced here and I’m worried about the lack of planning and coordination behind it.

“The result here, is we’ve got a 21st century gold rush of speculated development. It’s not being driven or planned anywhere. There may well be a plan at the centre of the Scottish government but if there is, no one has told us about it.”

There are more than 270 other battery energy storage sites, planned or under construction across the country.

Currently, there aren’t any government regulations about who can build and manage the sites.

Homeowners Steve Chard and Jane Dalrymple have spoken out about the project STV News

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are unable to comment on live applications.

“Our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) places climate and nature at the centre of our planning system and makes clear our support for all forms of renewable, low-carbon and zero emission technologies, including energy storage.

“Potential impacts on communities and nature are important considerations in the decision-making process, and all applications are subject to site-specific assessments.

“Once any application is granted, the enforcement of planning conditions is a matter for the local authority.”

In a statement, East Ayrshire Council said: “There are four proposed battery energy storage systems (BESS) located on or around the C53 road near the Kilmarnock South electricity substation.

“All are applications under Section 36 of The Electricity Act 1989 and as such, the decision maker in all of them is the Scottish Government. One scheme in East Ayrshire is approved and under construction (the Zenobe scheme), a project in South Ayrshire but near the C53 has been given consent by ministers, and two applications remain with the Scottish Government for determination, one of which the council has provided a consultation response to at this time.

“When consented by the Scottish Government, the council is responsible for approving applications to discharge planning conditions on the consent and to thereafter monitor compliance with the consent when the development is under construction.

“In respect of the Zenobe development, all relevant conditions have been discharged by the developer and the council is actively engaged in monitoring compliance during construction.

Construction is taking place for ten hours a day, five days a week in the area STV News

“There have been some issues around construction traffic caused by the actions of the developer and their contractors.

“The council does have sympathy with residents living near to the construction route regarding the situation residents are facing during the construction of the development, and we are using our best endeavours to ensure that the developer is complying with the agreed conditions to reduce and mitigate impacts to an acceptable level.

“Council officers have brought recent, and previous, traffic concerns to the attention of the developer and ensure that the developer resolves matters quickly and that they continue to put suitable mitigation measures in place to minimise impacts on the road and residents and therefore maintain ongoing compliance with their consent.

“The developer has acknowledged some recent failures of communication with residents during construction however they have worked to address these quickly and have been holding periodic meetings with residents to present their plans for the forthcoming month as well as deal with any ongoing issues.”

James Basden, Co-founder and Director of Zenobē, who are building the Kilmarnock Battery Energy Storage System, said: “We are committed to working with the local community to ensure that the project delivers clean and reliable power to Scotland.

“It is important to us that local residents are involved, and that is why we’re hosting regular community meetings. These meetings are held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Ayrshire Food Hub and are a forum to discuss the project and key updates.

“We are aware of the recent concerns members of Kilmarnock community have raised regarding traffic movements and intermediary works. We have taken steps to address these issues and are always looking to improve the way we engage. We look forward to working closely with residents as this project progresses.”