Developed by Shires Stability Ltd, Blackhillock BESS will be a 349 Megawatt project which will be capable of powering 87,500 homes for a whole day.
The project has been developed in accordance with local and national guidelines to cause minimal impact to the local area. The site will play a key role in the transition to Net Zero.
Introduction
The purpose of this consultation event is to inform you about the emerging proposal by Shires Stability Ltd (the prospective Applicant) for a proposed renewable energy development comprising the installation of a Battery Energy Storage System with associated infrastructure and access, at Gibson Farm, Blackhillock, AB55 5PB.
The Site & Surroundings
The entire area of interest comprises one parcel of agricultural land, of approximately Twenty-One acres. The site has some elevation from East to West with the highest part of the site being toward the existing Blackhillock substation to the West. The land is framed by the existing electricity substation, Overhead Lines running throughout the field and other agricultural land surrounding the area. The wider area generally has a countryside characteristic with agricultural fields and a scattering of houses along country roads which has some industrial appearance due to overhead transmission lines and the sub-station. Additionally, the local quarry is located next to the site. There is an unnamed road to the West, which connects the site to the A96 and the adjacent substation. The nearest main settlement and the nearest residential buildings lie at the edges of the fields of the proposed BESS storage site.
Technology
The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a lithium Ion battery system in which cells are packaged into modules and stacked into containers. The DC battery voltage is converted into AC using inverters and transformed to grid voltages. The BESS proposed will store energy for two hours at full power
Email: [email protected]
For more info: www.blackhillockflexpower.com
Pre-Application Consultation
A pre-application consultation submission has been made to Moray Council. The council has consulted other statutory and non-statutory bodies as it has deemed necessary and we are in the process of discussing the issues and matters which it requires to be addressed.
This feedback will be carefully considered in the submission of the final planning application, and will be assessed in supporting documents which include but are not necessarily limited to:
- Planning Supporting Statement
- Design Statement
- Landscape and Visual Assessment and Landscaping Strategy
- Ecological Assessment
- Tree Assessment
- Noise Assessment
- Transport Assessment
- Drainage, Flooding and Water Assessment
- Local Consultation
We will consult with the local community via:
- Event No 1 – Keith Sports and Community Centre 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm on 21st March 2024
- Event No 2 – Keith Sports and Community Centre 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm on 18th April 2024
- Advertisements in the local newspaper (for each Consultation Event)
- Distribution of project leaflets
Shires Stability Ltd has also designed a web page and will make information available regarding the company, the proposal and the consultation events (Web address: www.blackhillockflexpower.com)
The public consultation events seek to inform and invite comments from the local community. The comments from this will be reviewed and implemented where appropriate and any updates and responses will be provided on the website and at any subsequent consultations.
