Plans for a new battery storage facility near the A70 which will plough money into the local area have been given the green light by council bosses.

The application, lodged with East Ayrshire Council by Statkraft, Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, will store energy in 24 50MW batteries.

Also included in the 'Coylton Greener Grid Park' will be site offices, a communications house, noise attenuation fencing, CCTV and lighting poles and associated access, landscaping and underground grid connection cable.

Statkraft's original submission for the site was lodged in 2021, and got planning consent from EAC the following year after the proposal attracted no objections.

At the time of submission, National Grid ESO, which runs the electricity system in Great Britain,  had not confirmed their exact requirements for the project.

Once these were confirmed, Statkraft then revised its plans and submitted a further application which has now been approved.

Cumnock Chronicle: A proposed view of the facility.A proposed view of the facility. (Image: East Ayrshire Council)

Construction is expected to begin later in 2024. 

The Coylton Greener Grid Park will also deliver a community fund of £20,000 per year, supporting environmental projects in the local area, during the lifetime of the project.

Activities that could be considered for grants could include energy efficiency audits of community buildings, educational activities, training for voluntary groups in reducing their own carbon footprints, and EV charging points.

Sarah Tullie, Statkraft’s project manager for Coylton Greener Grid Park, said: “I want to thank East Ayrshire Council for backing our project. Greener grid parks are a key tool in helping the UK transition to green energy.

"Projects like these mean we’ll eventually end the need to turn on polluting fossil fuel power stations, just to provide stability to the electricity grid.  

“Having a stable grid because of projects like this will allow more wind and solar energy to be built and connected, meaning lower bills for consumers because renewable power is cheaper.

"Statkraft will continue to play a key role in delivering innovative solutions like this and help to break our reliance on fossil fuels for good.”