CONCERNS have been raised that a battery energy storage system (BESS) would “dwarf” a neighbouring village.

Plans were revealed last week for the facility, which will be made up of “a number of” battery storage units, to the south of Innerwick.

A public exhibition took place in the village hall where members of the public were able to scrutinise the early proposals for land near Barns Ness Terrace.

Display boards showed the early plans for the site, with a second exhibition also set to be held.

According to one of the boards: “We have all felt the impact of the costs of imported gas on our energy bills over the last 12 months.

“We need to act quicker than ever to achieve Scotland’s net-zero targets, in the best interests of the Scottish public.

“A key part of the ambitious transition to net zero will be our ability to store excess energy when demand is low; to be discharged back to the Grid for use when demand is high.

“Battery storage systems are critical for our path to net zero.

“Storing energy is especially important as we increasingly rely on weather-dependent generators such as wind or solar panels.

“Battery storage enables green technology and produces no emissions or pollution – so we will have enough electricity whatever the circumstance.”

Already, a planning application for a substation has been lodged with East Lothian Council’s planning department.

Access to the BESS would come from a new road east of the village.

Representatives from The Pegasus Group, who are involved with other plans for similar facilities elsewhere in the county, were on hand to answer questions at the event.

A spokesperson for East Lothian Winds of Change (ELWOC), which challenges “incoherent development of large-scale electrical infrastructure in East Lothian” claimed that the development, measuring 45 acres, would “dwarf” Innerwick.

They said: “The personnel from Pegasus present were unable to offer any information as to the route of the high-voltage cable connecting the facility to the National Grid, details of construction traffic volumes or routes, or planned interaction with traffic from the many other projects planned in this area. Many in the community are hugely concerned about the safety risks of having such a potentially hazardous facility so close to a village.

“East Lothian Winds of Change (ELWOC) and East Lammermuir Community Council (ELCC) are keen to hear from anyone with concerns about the proposal or indeed any of the other electrical infrastructure planned in our area.”

The developers outlined that they hoped to have a planning application for the facility with the local authority by the end of the year.

They hope a decision will be made late next year, with construction getting started in the spring of 2025.