On 31st October 2024, it was a Happy Halloween for residents in Eaglesham and Waterfoot as the council’s Planning Applications Committee voted down plans for a large-scale battery energy storage facility on land at the east side of Glasgow Road and adjacent to the Belle Craig roundabout.
I strongly objected to the planning application for a number of reasons and principally because the proposal represents an unacceptable erosion of a local greenfield site.
Whilst welcoming the decision of the council to refuse permission, I also sounded a note of caution in that the Scottish Planning System allows applicants to lodge appeals with the Scottish Government Reporter and for local decisions to be potentially overturned.
Just days before Christmas, it is sadly the case that an unwanted appeal was submitted to the Reporter meaning the verdict of democratically elected councillors on East Renfrewshire’s Planning Applications Committee could be reversed and planning permission granted.
The establishment of a battery plant on the Eaglesham greenfield site does not command support amongst local residents who live in the residential housing that is closest to the land.
What the public consultation on the planning application demonstrated is that local people in Eaglesham and Waterfoot are robustly against the proposal.
Approximately 250 objections were submitted to the council and this illustrates with devastating clarity that residents do not want greenbelt land on Glasgow Road to be torn up in favour of a battery energy storage facility.
All of these objections will be forwarded by the council to the Reporter so the views and concerns expressed by residents in their submissions should be considered as part of the appeal process.
If the decision of councillors is overturned and permission is given to use the land for the construction of a battery plant, it can only serve to diminish confidence that greenspaces in Eastwood will be safeguarded from development.
Protecting greenspaces is a major priority in many parts of the constituency and the resounding opposition from local residents – as expressed through the public consultation – demonstrates without doubt that people want to see the site on Glasgow Road remain as greenbelt.
To ignore local residents on such a matter would only serve to reinforce concerns that the existing Planning System is not fit for purpose.
I urge the Scottish Government Reporter to respect the decision of the council’s Planning Applications Committee and throw out the appeal.
On a general point, I am aware of similar schemes in other locations close to Eastwood and there is a belief from industry that a significant number of battery energy storage facility proposals will be formulated.
From a briefing event hosted by an MSP colleague in December, I understand there is concern that the number of proposals which may ultimately be put forward for the development of battery plants could considerably outstrip any demand for this type of energy source.
As such, a wider national analysis of how many battery energy storage facilities may be required should be considered or otherwise there is a risk that too many of the plants - and in the wrong locations - will be established.
