Proposals for a battery storage unit in Rutherglen has been approved by councillors despite previous concerns.

The development on Downiebrae Road, which was raised at South Lanarkshire Council’s Planning Committee meeting on December 14 has finally received approval after councillors raised concerns over the location of the unit.

The development will see the battery energy storage system – along with 24 containers and a 2.4m high-security fencing and security lighting – being developed at Downiebrae Road in Rutherglen.

The secure sight, includes equipment to allow 24-hour monitoring of the batteries remotely with one routine maintenance visit per month.

A major issue for elected members at December’s meeting was the proximity of the development to the show people’s community, who were not represented adequately in the planning proposal.

Councillor Martin Lennon, for Rutherglen Central and North, said: “They (show people) on the face of it, they don’t seem to have been taken into consideration, that really does strike up a red flag to me so I would be moving to refuse this application because I think the proper impact hasn’t been taken into consideration on the residential areas, I think that based on what’s in front of us here, a key constituency has just been ignored.”

Although concerns of the unit are still present, councillors at this week’s Planning Committee meeting ultimately approved the development due to a revised paper which consulted the community further.

The updated paper outlined the consultation that was carried out seeking close-by residents’ feedback, and an online survey was also set up which only received one response.

A further investigation was carried out which concluded that there would be no detrimental impact on any residential property, including the show people community.

Councillor Graham Scott, for East Kilbride East, continued to oppose the proposal, and he said: “I take the point about the consultation with the show people, but again I think some people would have liked to have seen a more visible show of consultation with the show people who are very important I know they’re 75 metres  away but I think they should be given due consideration here.

“In relation to the Fire Scotland act, these sort of new battery plans will fall under the act, but there’s always a danger with new technologies, legislation can lag behind in new tech. That’s why I suppose I’m calling out the Scottish Government and MSPs at Holyrood that they’ve got to make sure that things like the Fire Scotland act and all the fire legislation are up to date with the new industrial progresses that are coming on stream like battery storage of electricity, there can’t be a time lag.

“I’ll move refusal again on the loss of amenity to local residents and impact one economic development.”

These thoughts were echoed by Councillor Bert Thomson, for Blantyre, who said: “I’d like to second councillor Graham Scott, it’s been clearly stated that there is not going to be a great load of job opportunities here, bearing on the side of caution that tech is more important, the fear of something happening is just as bad as an event and we don’t want to see anything like that happening no matter how much safety is put in place and  there’s no compulsion to put this in this place. Why not put it somewhere else, we could use this space for developing houses, so I’m certainly against that.”

Councillor Peter Craig welcomed the development, and he said: “I’ve been in the job long enough to hear all the fears about new technology, I’m very much in favour of the regeneration of the energy process, we’re going to need that in the future so I don’t have any need to objection to the progress, I will certainly be voting to adopt the programme.”