Villagers fed up of battery storage schemes near Eccles

Villagers near a string of battery energy storage system (BESS) schemes in southern Scotland are “fed up with the industrialisation of their community”, a council has been told.

Scottish Borders Council’s planning committee narrowly voted not to object to the latest application near the Eccles sub-station by Bishops Dal Energy Ltd.

Donald Moffat, who represents Mid Berwickshire, said he had concerns about the use of “prime agricultural land”.

However, the committee agreed not to object to the scheme which will store energy from renewable sources to be used when it is needed.

The area has become a hotbed for applications due to its proximity to the Eccles substation which is being expanded.

The latest project would see 96 container-sized storage systems, a substation and fencing and new entrances put up.

The final decision will lie with the Scottish government but the council decided not to make any objection by four votes to three.

“The local community is at the stage now when they think they have done their bit,” said Mr Moffat.

“I object to the loss of good quality agricultural land and we have already lost quite a few acres.

“The local community is fed up and they don’t think there should be any more BESS developments in their community.

“It’s basically industrialising our countryside.”

A council report said the development complied with national planning frameworks and the local development plan.

It added that there were no material considerations that would justify objection to the proposal.

It concluded the project would have some “minor landscape and visual impacts” and any issues could be addressed by “appropriately worded” conditions.

Reporting by local democracy reporter Paul Kelly.