Council backs plan for battery energy storage facility at site of former hotel
The application site in Crawfordjohn, Biggar, extends to some 2.6 hectares and comprises the former Red Moss Hotel.
Plans for a battery energy storage facility located at the site of a former hotel have been supported by South Lanarkshire Council, despite concern that it could be a fire hazard and open the gates for many more similar applications.
An application was made to the Scottish Government under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
The application site in Crawfordjohn, Biggar, extends to some 2.6 hectares and comprises the former Red Moss Hotel and truck stop to the immediate south side of the B7078.
The land is currently occupied by the buildings and ancillary parking areas associated with the former hotel, together with vacant land previously in use as a truck stop.
The site is bounded by remote moorland on all sides, with the M74 lying approximately 850m to the north of the site. It is currently accessed from a lay-by off the B7078.
A planning application submitted by Scottish Power for the erection of a 400kV/132kV electricity substation on land directly opposite the site is currently under consideration.
The operational Middle Muir Wind Farm is located approximately 2.2km to the west of the site and the operational Andershaw Wind Farm approximately 1.5km south-west.
An application has been made to the Scottish Government under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the erection of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with a storage capacity of up to 342 megawatts (MW) and associated infrastructure.
The application has been made to the Energy Consents Unit within the Scottish Government which is responsible for the administration of the process including carrying out the necessary publicity and consultation and the decision-making process. The council are a statutory consultee in this process and not the consenting authority. The proposed development comprises the following key elements:
148 batteries within storage containers grouped into blocks of four
74 transformers (two per block of four batteries) 132kV substation
A grid transformer situated within the on-site substation; cabling and connection to the compound and cabling connecting to the proposed Redshaw Substation
Cut and fill earthworks to enable landscaping and drainage mitigation.
There will also be 2m palisade fencing erected around the site boundary to restrict access to the site, together with CCTV at regular intervals.
The site will be accessed from the existing slipway leading on to the B7078 which is located at the northern boundary.
It is intended the BESS will connect to the proposed Redshaw substation located to the northwest of the site. The purpose of energy storage facilities is to import and store power during periods of oversupply from renewable energy. This power is exported back to the grid at periods of low renewable energy generations or high usage requirements. The installation will cover a temporary period of 35 years following which, the battery infrastructure will be decommissioned and removed from site.
Cllr Ross Lambie said: 'The site is in close proximity to existing electrical grad infrastructure and it is just a pylon that passes through the area. I am a little nervous about us setting that as a principle that you can negate concerns of the green belt being industrialised if there is a pylon nearby and they can connect on to. If we as a planning committee adopt that as principle it opens up great swathes of rural Lanarkshire to battery storage applications if they have a pylon line passing through them.'
A planning official said the site was not within the greenbelt and other applications had been refused in areas where there were considered not to be strategic employment generators.
Cllr Mary Donnelly said: 'This has come up quite a few times in my ward and it is being reported to local groups that where there are battery energy storage systems they have actually gone on fire, are we mindful that they could be a fire hazard?'
An official said this was not a planning consideration but consideration in her ward for battery energy storage systems were very different from the Red Moss one.
It was agreed to tell the Scottish Government that there were no objections to the granting of consent for the facility. The Head of Planning and Regulatory Services was authorised to undertake any discussions with the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit including in relation to conditions to be attached to the consent if required.
*Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Older windfarms won't increase East Ayrshire community benefit cash says council
East Ayrshire Council said that other benefits, such as job training support were getting developer support Attempts to increase the amount of money older wind farms give East Ayrshire's communities were met with a firm 'No' according to East Ayrshire Council's head of economic development. However, other moves around training and employment are being backed by developers and energy companies. The likes of Whitelee Wind Farm, once the biggest in Europe, agreed their level of community benefits before the introduction of guidance from the Scottish Government more than a decade ago. While there is no legal requirement to offer money to create renewable energy funds, it has become standard practice to offer £5,000 per MW of power produced, as recommended by the Scottish Government. However, this figure was suggested in 2014, with older windfarms often agreeing far less. Whitelee Wind Farm, the largest in the UK and formerly in Europe, agreed to pay just £1,000 per MW, with a subsequent extension application securing an increase to £2,500. Many residents and groups have argued that they should be getting more, especially in areas where there is a significant density of facilities, such as the south end of East Ayrshire. But, David McDowall, Head of Economic Growth at East Ayrshire Council told councillors that many developers were also facing financial struggles. At a meeting of East Ayrshire Cabinet this week, he recommended that no changes be made to the way renewable energy funds are distributed and applied for. Currently, wind farm funds are limited to communities within 10km of a facility for the first 10 years of operation, with half then being opened up to the whole of East Ayrshire after that period. However, an amendment last year, saw that, before broadening to the whole of the authority, a review to determine whether there was a greater need to maintain the 10km restriction. Whitelee reached that threshold in 2023 and now splits the funding for both the original £1,000 and the subsequent £2,500 for the extension. Mr McDowall explained: 'A review will be undertaken to assess whether parts of the fund should indeed be made available to a wider spatial area. 'This review will take account of the ongoing need and demand for funding within the 10km buffer and the wider funding landscape beyond the 10km buffer taking cognisance of what funding will be available to the the other relevant communities.' He said the disparity had been discussed with Scottish Power and that they were looking a number of areas to provide 'real opportunities' for communities. Mr McDowall continued: 'We've recently introduced the Whitelee skills fund which will deliver 30 apprentices and 30 interns along with pre employment training.' However, a push to increase the amount provided by those who had agreed the lower payments per MW has been unsuccessful. He said: 'One of the kind of asks has been, can we get the the the funding updated from the £1,000 or £2,500 to £5,000. 'We were given a resounding no initially, but discussions are ongoing and there's a proposal to meet between the leaders of East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire to take forward discussions directly with the Scottish Government. 'It is now common place across Scotland that developers work directly with community groups to agree community benefits rather than paying into the the fund so while the renewable energy fund for East Ayrshire remains a viable option for developers it is now one that's being used far less.' Mr McDowall set out the work undertaken by the Nine CC group, a coalition of nine communities in the south of the authority, who have come to together to make better, more strategic, use of the funds each was receiving from community benefits. However, he did acknowledge that 'several in farm developers are facing challenging financial circumstances and and obviously issues like grid connections as well and that's requiring them in some industries to reprofile their community benefit commitments.' Councillor Iain Linton, Cabinet member for resources and economy said: 'I think it sums up well where we are just now. 'Obviously we're anticipating the Nine CC fund getting up and running in the the near future and that will take a bit of the strain off the the the sharing of the the Whitelee money. 'I think they seem to be quite keen in the projects that we've supported in the past.' He also said that Scottish Power had showcased a number of the projects in East Ayrshire and hoped that the company would work with the council to promote and potentially expand the apprentice and intern programme. Mr McDowall responded: 'I think they nearly bit my hand off when we suggested it. 'So they do want, let's say, the accolades that go along with their funding going towards these apprenticeships. 'We're also working with Ayrshire College and and looking at trying to bring some of the pre-apprenticeship training that is delivered both centrally in Glasgow and Edinburgh towards Ayrshire College. 'Obviously we know that there's a a gap in the renewable sector.' He said that both companies were losing staff but also investing in work in East Ayrshire. He added: 'What we're trying to do is to get a lot of those vacancies filled with residents within East Ayrshire.' Cabinet approved the report.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
West Lothian could see another 12.500 new homes by 2038
West Lothian could see another 12,500 homes built in the decade to 2038. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... And communities have told planners that a more diverse choice of homes – including more bungalows- are needed to meet the needs of an ageing population. A full meeting of West Lothian council agreed to approve the first stage of a new Local Development Plan as a blueprint for the future look of communities. Wet Lothian could see another 12,500 homesby 2038 Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad National planning demands call for West Lothian to have another 9.850 homes by 2038, but planners raised that to more than 12,000 , having accepted community calls for greater diversity of house styles, including more bungalows as well as more smaller homes to allow downsizing among a growing elderly population. There has also been a call for more affordable housing. This initial stage known as the Evidence Report now goes to the Scottish Government for approval. It sets out where development should take place and what is needed to accompany that development. Councillors gave cautious welcome to the proposals but aired concerns about health care provision and transport infrastructure, both of which dominate the conversation on existing housing development proposals. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Earlier worries that they would not have enough time to work through the hefty document's 1,000 plus pages were allayed. Linlithgow Lib Dem Sally Pattle had, at a recent meeting, warned that developers would be 'watching us like hawks' as she stressed the need for councillors to 'get things right' in the plan. She told the meeting: ' After being slightly alarmed a couple weeks ago I'm pleased to say I have had some really good discussions with officers. I am now reassured that we have to get this evidence report in I understand the tightness of the timescales we are up against I also have been reassured that we just at the beginning of this process.' Proposing a motion accepting the paper, council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said; ' We are taking a big step forward; it has required a significant amount of work by council officers. I'm glad to note there has been massive interaction between officers and councillors with regard to queries. I move that we accept the recommendation which includes the corrections to be included.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Planning officers stressed that the evidence gathering had consulted communities on their hopes and expectations for the future. The finalised Local Development Plan which has to be in place for 2028 should reflect those community demands. A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: 'We would like to thank everyone who engaged in the process that has enabled planning officers to prepare this evidence report. It is important to stress this is an early point in the process of creating a new Local Development Plan for West Lothian. 'Completion of this gate check process will then allow planning officers to prepare the first draft of the new local development plan for West Lothian. This process will once again require extensive engagement with key stakeholders and local communities and the council will once again be calling on members of the public to participate. Details of how you can get involved will be shared in due course.'
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Celebrating the berry best of Scottish soft fruit
From juicy strawberries to plump blueberries, Scotland has a long and rich history of producing some of the world's most succulent soft fruit, with hundreds of farms up and down the country representing a growing and valuable part of our vibrant agricultural landscape. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... To champion and strengthen Scotland's nearly £198 million berry sector, Scotland Food & Drink, supported by the Scottish Government, is launching a brand-new celebration of Scottish-grown berries, encouraging shoppers, chefs, retailers and more to learn about the innovative industry, and add more delicious local fruit to their plates. Launched today, Friday, 20 June 2025, by Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie, at an exclusive event at The Royal Highland Show, the four-month Berries of Scotland campaign will spread awareness of the heritage and impact of Scotland's berry sector, which comprises fruit farms of all shapes and sizes spread out from the Highlands all the way down the east coast. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As well as showcasing tasty recipes and fascinating insights into the life of Scottish growers, Berries of Scotland will also bring together a curated map to show berry lovers where they can 'pick their own' at local farms around the country. Alexa King, age 10 and Erica King age 8 According to the Scottish Government's farm census, 1,000 hectares of farmland was dedicated to growing strawberries alone in 2024 – the equivalent of more than 1,200 football pitches – and Scotland has been the home of berry innovation for more than three quarters of a century, thanks to pioneering scientific developments at The James Hutton Institute. Experts from The James Hutton Institute – who attended the Berries of Scotland launch alongside growers from Castleton Farm and Angus Growers – have been breeding and trialing soft fruit for almost 75 years, including raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, currants, gooseberries, tayberries, and honeyberries. Over the decades, Hutton has developed more than 40 soft fruit varieties, including berries that are resilient to climate change or require low input, reducing reliance on chemical pesticides which makes them more sustainable. With the berry category now worth £197.8m in the Scottish retail market, growing both in value (+14.8%) and volume (+9.8%) in the last 52 weeks to May 2025 versus the previous year, now is the perfect time to celebrate the scientists, farmers and businesses who contribute to Scotland's rich berry heritage. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: 'Scotland's berries are some of the best available anywhere in the world and it's right that we celebrate and champion both them and the people who grow them. Alexa King, age 10 and Erica King age 8 'The Berries of Scotland campaign is about reconnecting consumers with our berry growers and encouraging consumers and buyers to choose Scottish. Research from The Knowledge Bank, our insights team, found that 42% of Scots would like to be able to buy Scottish strawberries and other soft fruits more often, so the demand is there. 'It's a tough environment for many of our Scottish farmers, including berry growers, and it's right that we all work together with the berry sector, as consumers and across our partnership – to support local growers and celebrate Scotland's world-class berries here at home but also in the UK market and key markets overseas.' Jim Fairlie, the Scottish Government's Minister for Agriculture and Connectivityattended the launch event at The Royal Highland Show, and said: 'As someone who grew up in Perthshire I spent all my school summer holidays picking berries, it was something we did as a family and our wider community. There was definitely that thing about us townies getting out into the country and seeing the food that was grown on our doorsteps make its way into our local shops and our houses. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'That connection between town and country is brilliantly captured by the berry field stories right across Scotland. The launch of this berry campaign is about that heritage, the stories, those connections and a celebration of the history and science that has given Scotland its richly deserved reputation for the superb quality of our berries and the folk who grow and pick them. (L to R) Amanda Brown - Programme Director of Scotland Food & Drink, Jim Fairlie MSP and Eve Morton. 'This celebration is about bringing all of that together so that we have pride in our world class soft fruit sector and demonstrate that by making sure Scottish berries are a staple in our everyday diet, which helps our local economies our natural environment and of course, our own health. 'In collaboration with the many growers, the Scottish Government will help make sure this message goes out far and wide. I want this celebration of Scottish berries launched today to be the beginning of even greater success for the sector and an annual festival we grow, we anticipate and we enjoy as a nation.'
