Coupar Angus battery storage facility with "constant" whirring and rumbling noise driving neighbour to despair allowed to expand

Permission has been granted for 144 additional batteries at the existing Coupar Angus Battery Energy Storage System
-Credit: (Image: Richard Wilkins)


Planning permission has been granted to extend a battery storage facility in Coupar Angus which an objector said was destroying his life.

The exasperated neighbouring resident told councillors the "whirring noise and subterranean rumbling" was both "unacceptable and constant".

After almost two hours' debate on Wednesday, September 11 elected members on Perth and Kinross Council's Planning and Placemaking Committee voted by seven votes to three to approve the plans.

ERM Ltd submitted a planning application on behalf of Gresham House Asset Management Ltd to install 144 additional batteries at the existing Coupar Angus Battery Energy Storage System on land 130m South East of Coupar Angus Substation on Pleasance Road.

Objector Mr Galloway pleaded with councillors to refuse the application.

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The nearby resident said: "We hear a constant loud whirring noise and a subterranean rumbling especially at night, especially when there is no wind or the wind is blowing from the west, from the battery storage towards our house.

"This is audible inside the house all night with the windows closed. It never stops."

He added: "It's destroying our life."

He claimed the independent noise impact assessment commissioned by Gresham House - which said the development would be compliant - was "flawed" as it was carried out on a day the wind was blowing "away not towards our property", "did not address the subterranean noise" and "it was not clear the facility was operating at full capacity on the day of the test".

Cllr Ian James told councillors he was "astounded" and "shocked" by the noise when he visited the site.

Mr Galloway also raised concern about flood damage to the access track - managed by Gresham House - last year which "washed almost all the gravel from the top of this track into critical drainage ditches which run alongside it".

He added: "This completely blocked the ditches and contributed to the devastating flooding that we had at the nearby Tweedside Cottages".

The objector said they "still hadn't come to clear it 11 months on".

Mr Galloway added: "They don't monitor and they don't manage this site competently. That ditch is still blocked."

Agent Sharon Thomas said the additional batteries proposed would "ensure the site is run more efficiently". She highlighted a planning condition that an additional acoustic fence would have to be installed prior to the installation of any additional batteries.

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Applicant Ioannis Kanellopoulos said they employed a professional consultant to conduct the noise impact assessment who followed UK regulations and added: "I don't think we have done something wrong in terms of the way we conducted the assessment."

Regarding the road, he said a contractor would be on site to address it "next week" [this week].

Pressed repeatedly by Cllr Bob Brawn to investigate the issue with the underground rumbling, Mr Kanellopoulos confirmed: "Yes we will."

Perth and Kinross Council noise officer Ms Reid said: "We are satisfied with the outcome of the latest noise impact assessment when it was done at full 100 per cent capacity and the wind direction has been taken into consideration.

"Each of the three individual noise impact assessments all concluded the levels from the existing conditions could be met without the additional noise barrier."

Planners however conditioned the additional barrier be added before any further development.

Bailie Mike Williamson moved for approval and was reassured PKC's enforcement officer "will monitor the site" as is its statutory duty.

It was seconded by Cllr David Illingworth and approved by seven votes to three.

Three councillors voted for a refusal amendment tabled by Cllr James concerned about the impact of the noise and rumbling on nearby residents.