Battery storage facility wins appeal after council refusal
The proposed project near Cults received more than 100 objections and was thrown out by city councillors in September.
A battery storage facility near Cults has won an appeal after it was refused by Aberdeen City councillors.
Flexion Energy UK Storage's application for the 400MW facility would have 48 lithium-ion batteries installed in 12 shipping-container sized cabinets.
More than 100 objections were submitted by residents voicing concerns about the proposals.
The plan also faced opposition from bosses at Robert Gordon's College due to the site's close proximity to its playing fields, fearing a fire at the facility could put pupils at risk of "potentially toxic vapour, fumes, or smoke".
Flexion Energy UK argued the battery storage site was "vital" and the chosen location was the best option.
However, councillors threw out the plans in September as they believed the site out be "out of place".
The firm took their appeal to the Scottish Government who have now granted approval of the project under several conditions.
The company will have to demonstrate how the facility will integrate into the area.
Stephen Hall, a planning reporter at the Scottish Government, said in the report outlining the decision that "overall, I am satisfied that there would be no significant long-term impacts on the environmental quality of the green belt."
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