Concerns have been raised by Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council over plans for a large battery storage facility.

The proposals, by Gresham House, would see the installation of three substations and more than 150 battery storage units at land to the south of Inglis Farm, Cockenzie.

East Lothian Courier: An example of how the battery storage facility will look like - Pegasus Group

If approved, it would be one of the largest projects of its kind in the UK.

The company’s online consultation ended on August 14.

In response, the community council said in a statement: “The community are very concerned about danger from fire, noise and pollution.

“The proposed site is close to housing, businesses and roads and quite close to Cockenzie Primary School and The Harbours Medical Practice.

“Moving the site to the [former] coal [handling] plant would help to mitigate these genuine concerns. The design of the proposed development does not, in our opinion, satisfy concerns about the danger of fire or explosion.

“The need for a noise reduction fence suggests that noise is produced and this again suggests the development should be elsewhere.

“The proposed site is on an area that has utility value, used to produce food and helps the biodiversity of our area.

“Moving to the coal plant will have less impact on these important factors, as well as satisfying the concerns previously mentioned.

“The community council support and understand the need for such a battery storage development but do not accept that the proposed site is the correct one.

“Adjacent to this green field area is a more or less purpose-built site for such a potentially dangerous development.

“This is the former coal [handling] plant, a brownfield site within an area surrounded by existing bunds and further away from residential and business premises. We know that ELC have plans to remove the bunds but the safety of the area is more important than what is an unknown future development.”

The consultation website states: “The proposed battery storage energy facility would provide a significant contribution to the energy storage targets in the timescales necessary to contribute to the UK’s progress in meeting its renewable energy targets.

“It would also provide rapid-response electrical backup to the Scottish Power Transmission, providing a flexible system to balance energy supply and demand.”

Following feedback to the consultation, Gresham House is expected to submit an application to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit (ECU).

Gresham House states: “Our New Energy strategy and investments aim to support the shift from a world powered by finite resources to a new energy world powered by renewables.

“This battery project will further the progress on local and national net zero targets.”

If consent is granted, construction could begin onsite in autumn next year.