Useful Information & Links

Please see below for useful downloads and links to other sites that we feel are of use:

Map of all sites

Download a pdf map of all of the BESS sites at Rothienorman HERE

Template objection letter

Download a MS Word template objection letter HERE

Objection Guide

This is a really useful objection guide put together by another community group - it is for opposing wind turbines, but the process is the same for BESS sites - https://handsoffourhills.co.uk/objections/Guide-How-To-Object.pdf

NFCC Guidance

Guidance on Grid Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) from the National Fire Chiefs Council can be found here:

https://nfcc.org.uk/consultation/draft-grid-scale-energy-storage-system-planning-guidance/

Incident Report from SFRS

Download report available from Scottish Fire & Rescue Service on the fire at the Overhill BESS site (Site 1) on 21st February 2025 - is states that "A 9 tone lithium-ion phosphate battery <was> on fire. Had been damaged in transit and was not installed" - HERE

Other recent BESS fires

Tilbury, Essex, 19th Feb 2025 = https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/incidents/firefighters-respond-battery-storage-site-fire-east-tilbury-2025-02-19-15-51

https://www.thefpa.co.uk/news/significant-battery-site-fire-brought-under-control

Cirencester 28th March 2025 = https://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/25050489.latest-fire-cirencester-hybrid-solar-farm/

P&J Article 29/04/2025 covering public meeting

We held a well-attended public meeting on Wednesday April 23rd from 7pm - 9pm Rothienorman Community Bowling Club, Forgue Road, Rothienorman, AB51 8UE; so that local residents and interested parties could understand the scale of the current and proposed developments and the potential impacts to the local community and environment. The presentation slides are available HERE

The Press & Journal wrote an article covering the meeting - see a copy from 29th April HERE

Presentation delivered at FRMCC meeting 25/03/2025

Dr Frank Richards has done some modelling of the potential smoke, fire and water run off if there was an incident at the proposed 500MW Blackford Energy Park - this was delivered to the Fyvie, Rothienorman & Monquhitter Community Council meeting on 25th March 2025. It shows that lethal fumes from a fire would reach Rothienorman village within 2 minutes, and that the water run off from fire fighting will contaminate the Black Burn which also runs directly into the village - download a copy of the presentation HERE

Aberdeenshire Council Planning

Aberdeenshire Council make decisions on applications for electricity generating sites under 50MW - you can search the planning portal here - either type in the word battery, or the specific planning reference number for a project: https://upa.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application

Energy Consents Unit

The Energy Consents Unit is used for applications of electricity generating stations over 50MW - you can check the list of sites here = https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationSearch.aspx

There is no way to get notifications for these, we recommend you check the site weekly.

The process for applications to the ECU is detailed here = https://www.gov.scot/publications/good-practice-guidance-applications-under-sections-36-37-electricity-act-1989/pages/1/

To make an objection to an ECU application, see here = https://www.gov.scot/publications/energy-consents-how-to-support-or-object-to-an-application/