By Bill Heaney
Better late than never. West Dunbartonshire Council appears at last to have recognised the danger of building battery storage plants near housing developments.
But they did not appear to recognise until recently -despite widespread publicity – that growing community concern about the danger of these sites should come before money and jobs. Until now that is.
Labour councillor William Rooney, right, in a motion soon to go before a meeting of the council, states that the local authority recognises the importance of net-zero and “a resilient energy mix for energy security and economic growth”.
So far as battery storage plants, such as the one proposed for land in the Old Kilpatrick Hills near Faifley, they are not too sure they would welcome one.
Councillor Rooney states that the council values the Kilpatrick Hills and surrounding green spaces “as vital for biodiversity, public access, health, and local identity”.
And for once they are not asleep at the wheel and beginning to recognise that the public knows best.
Councillor Rooney said: “Council notes growing community concern over industrial developments—such as battery energy storage sites—near neighbourhoods, which often lack community benefit and could negatively affect the health and wellbeing of our residents.”
He added: “Council believes individual citizens must be empowered to contribute
their views directly and accordingly the Council requests the Chief Officer Regulatory and Regeneration to provide communities with guidance to enable them to effectively represent views from within their communities to the Electricity Consent Unit and relevant Scottish Minister.”
Which, despite its convoluted language, basically means they do not want it on West Dunbartonshire Council land and would prefer it if the developers returned to their original plan to have it on land owner by East Dunbartonshire Council closer to Bearsden and Milngavie.