Brora croft owner stands to gain £2.8 million from battery park proposal which shocked neighbours say will devalue their homes, cause a noise nuisance and be a blot on the landscape
Objectors are to hold a public meeting to discuss plans for a battery energy storage system (BESS) in a Sutherland crofting township.
A number of householders in Clynelish Muir and West Clyne held a residents meeting last week shortly after news of the proposed BESS came to light through a leaflet mailing.
It was then decided to hold a public meeting to gauge the opinion of the wider Brora community and hopefully gather support to oppose the development.
The open meeting will be held at the Scout and Guide Hall in Brora from 7pm next Tuesday, August 13, ahead of a consultation exercise being carried out by BESS developers Opdenergy on the following Tuesday, August 20.
Opdenergy, which describes itself as an “international group specialising in energy assets production”, is holding a drop-in consultation event at Brora Village Hub from 2pm-6pm.
The 49.9MW battery park, consisting of around 13 shipping like containers mounted on concrete pads and ancillary infrastructure, is proposed to be inserted into a ribbon of crofts at Clynelish Muir, with neighbouring houses just metres away.
Objectors say the battery park is an industrial development out of keeping with a crofting township and will have an impact on the landscape as well as devaluing the surrounding houses and causing noise pollution – battery parks are known to emit a constant hum.
Residents’ shock over battery park plans for picturesque crofting township in Brora
There are also major concerns over the safety of battery storage facilities and the risk of fire.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that a number of crofters in the Clynelish area were approached by the developer seeking the use of their land, but refused.
One crofter said: “I bought a croft to croft not to put a battery park on it!”
The Northern Times has seen documents showing that Opdenergy is offering around £70,000 a year index linked for the lease of the ground over 40 years – meaning the landowner in question stands to make more than £2.8 million from the battery park.
According to Opdenergy, the Clynelish Muir site was chosen because “there is a need and free capacity to allow this amount of battery storage connection to the grid in the area...
“This facility will be a small part of the climate change solution contributing to the UK government’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”
Social media users were quick to comment on the proposal.
Nicola Morris posted: “When you read about the numerous fires surrounding these installations and add in there is no fire station in Brora, it’s very alarming.”
