Angus planning officials say a 50MW battery storage site near Montrose should get the green light.
The proposal in the shadow of the National Trust for Scotland’s 18th century House of Dun has split opinion.
Hillside, Dun and Logie Pert Community Council oppose the plan and have raised safety and traffic concerns.
But there were several letters of support for the scheme.
And bodies including Scottish Fire and Rescue, Sepa, the Health and Safety Executive and Scottish Water offered no comment.
So the application will go before Angus councillors next week with an approval recommendation from officials.
They say it complies with the council’s development plan and will not have a major impact on the local area.
Dun BESS plan revealed in 2023
Renewable Energy Systems first signalled a bid to build the battery energy storage system (BESS) last September.
The site sits beside the A935 Montrose to Brechin road.
It would see the creation of an 8,250 sq. m. compound within the 3.7 hectare field to house 32 metal battery storage containers.
Those would hold energy to feed into the nearby Dun electricity substation.
It lies a few hundreds metres south – close to the Caledonian Railway’s Bridge of Dun station.
Among objections to the plan was the cumulative impact of renewables development on the area.
Nearby projects either consented or in the pipeline include:
- Another BESS around 500 metres west of the site
- Solar farm at Arrats Mills, 1.5km away
- 40MW East Ballochy solar farm
The community council said: “This development will have a detrimental effect, causing initial and on-going disruption to residents.
“It does so as a commercial venture, repurposing agricultural land without adding to the local economy or bringing any advantage to the local community.”
But planners say local impacts from the project are considered acceptable.
Their report states: “There is no question it will give rise to some adverse landscape and visual impact, and it will have some detrimental impact on the occupants of the closest residential properties.
“However, that is generally the case for most development of this nature.
“Development plan policy recognises that such impacts are to be expected and will generally be considered acceptable where they are localised and/or appropriately mitigated.
“Overall, the resultant cumulative impact of existing and approved development in the surrounding area is not such that it substantially changes the landscape character of the wider area.”
Their approval recommendation includes conditions around landscaping, safety measures and noise during the construction phase.
And RES must agree to a financial bond for the decommissioning of the battery plant at the end of its 50-year life.
The Dun plan will be considered by Angus development standards councillors on Tuesday.
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