An application for an electricity storage unit in Rutherglen has been deferred by the planning committee at South Lanarkshire due to it missing key information.
The application for the construction of a battery energy storage system to store energy was a hot topic at the planning committee meeting on December 14.
The development would see the battery energy storage system – along with 24 containers and a 2.4m high-security fencing and security lighting – being developed at Downiebrae Road in Rutherglen.
Councillor Martin Lennon for Rutherglen Central and North disagreed with the planning application and moved to refuse, citing a loss of amenity to residents and economic development.
The location of the site and its close proximity to the show people’s community was a major topic of discussion.
Councillor Lennon said: “One of the first things that jumps out at me is that it mentioned that the nearest residential buildings or the nearest homes are 150 metres away,
“I can only assume from that the nearest residential properties are being taken to be the flats on Baronald Street, but I don’t think that’s quite strictly accurate because I’ve looked at this and actually the closest residential properties that I can identify is the Downiebrae estate where there is quite a large and well-established show people community and that is less than half that distance.
“They are not on the face of it, they don’t seem to have been taken into consideration, that really does strike up a red flag to me so I would be moving to refuse this application because I think the proper impact hasn’t been taken into consideration on the residential areas, I think that based on what’s in front of us here, a key constituency has just been ignored.”
Councillor Bert Thomson for Blantyre agreed, and he said: “I mean we’ve got to think of people as well and show people do stay near here and I don’t think they have been consulted or taken into consideration, it doesn’t look as if they have.
“So, I don’t think it’s a good place at all and I’d agree with councillor Lennon.”
East Kilbride Central South councillor Gerry Convery also argued that the site was not suitable. He said: “I think there’s been a massive faux pas here with the planning department.
“If the closest proximity of residential housing is the show people, it is a well-established residential area, and for planning not to have that in and to say that its red sandstone block of flats nearest to it is factually incorrect, so the members of this committee are not being furnished with the true facts now that’s a major error.
“These are human beings we are talking about, they’ve lived there basically as long as I can remember and yet we’re not taking that into consideration.”
Another issue that councillors found with the application was the suitability of industrial development in the area.
Councillor Lennon said: “From my perspective, knowing the local area as well, I don’t think this is a suitable development.
"I understand that there has been a principle that may be set with the idea that this land should be used for employment purposes, I think there is quite a large qualitative difference between employment purposes like restaurants or retail and something that is just kind of more industrial or quasi-industrial.
“As someone who knows the area quite well, this is an area that is undergoing quite a long term transformation from being almost exclusively industrial and quasi-industrial it’s becoming increasingly more a leisure area and more residential area, there are ongoing surrounding permissions for more and more residential development
“Taking all of this into consideration, I don’t think that more industrial infrastructure is the direction we want to be going down.”
“I understand why the applicant thinks that this is a suitable site, but that is why we ultimately have a planning committee, I disagree with them, I understand it’s convenient for them, but I don’t think that they are appropriate for this site.”
The planning application did receive some support; Councillor Jim Wardhaugh for East Kilbride East mentioned the benefits of the development.
He said: “I think that this is a great development, I’d like to see a lot more like this in South Lanarkshire
“We have a lot of wind turbines in South Lanarkshire and when it’s windy we have to shut them down because we can’t use the electricity and I think there’s a scope in South Lanarkshire for a lot more storage facilities like this.
“The site has to be close to the grid distribution points and I think that’s something that this site has and overall, I think this is a good development. I would like to see a lot more like it.”
Although Councillor Lennon pushed to refuse the application, council officers suggested deferring it until key information was provided.
Councillor Mary Donnelly for Hamilton West and Earnock moved to defer the application, to the next planning committee meeting in February in order to consult with the show people community who are situated near the potential development.
She said: “I was going to move to defer the application to explore the two points and come back to another committee meeting, I do move deferral.
“Show people being omitted from this report is really remiss of this committee and I would seriously be upset if this paper went forward without their inclusion in it.”
A majority of elected members voted to defer the application, which will include vital information for them to decide at the next committee meeting in February.