Historic environment body accused of ‘turning a blind eye’ over Mey battery storage plans

Historic Environment Scotland has been accused of “turning a blind eye” to proposals for a major battery energy storage scheme near the Castle of Mey.

Local resident Andy Hayton criticised the Edinburgh-based body for failing to do enough to protect the “treasured national landmark” which is one of the far north’s top tourist attractions.

He is among those opposing plans by Simec Atlantis Energy (SAE) for the Mey Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on agricultural land a couple of miles from the castle.

SAE, which operates the nearby MeyGen tidal energy project, is planning 352 containerised battery units with a total export storage capacity of up to 300 MW.

Historic Environment Scotland describes itself as the lead public body set up to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment.

Mr Hayton said local residents were dismayed that Historic Environment Scotland had “dismissed the full impact” of the battery energy storage project.

He said the national organisation took the view that Mey BESS posed “no significant harm” to the castle’s setting. This, he said, was despite warnings about the combined effect of multiple developments in the area – including Rigifa BESS, Gills Bay switching station, Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development and Charleston Energy Park.

Describing the castle as “a treasured national landmark and heart of the community”, Mr Hayton said: “This isn’t just about one building. It’s about our home, our history, and our future.

“The cumulative industrialisation is changing the very character of this place, and HES has simply turned a blind eye.”

Mr Hayton added that the community had submitted formal challenges “to ensure that their voices are heard and the full picture of environmental and heritage impact is properly assessed”.

He said residents were calling on Scottish Government ministers and planning authorities to balance green energy ambitions with “respect for local heritage, nature and community wellbeing”.

He insisted that local people are “ready to fight for the place they love”.

A spokesperson for Historic Environment Scotland said: “We were consulted on the planning application for the Mey BESS on the potential impacts on the setting of the Castle of Mey and its associated landscape which is listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes.

“Our role in the planning process is clearly defined and determines what we can comment on. In this case, we concluded that the key views and relationships for these historic assets would not be adversely affected as there is very limited visibility from them towards the proposed development.”

The castle is run by the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust.

The Mey BESS Action Group has almost 550 members on Facebook.

A statement by the group says: “Many residents are still unaware of the intended scale and extent of plans to industrialise the area. We are not against renewables and support the move toward net zero but DO NOT support the unnecessary and wilful destruction of the land in this way.”

Speaking at the end of May, a spokesman for SAE said: “MeyGen is a world-first project, designed, built and operated in the north of Scotland. Mey BESS builds on that legacy by adding resilience, flexibility and storage.

“These are not threats to the landscape. They are part of the landscape of the future.

“We remain open to dialogue. But that dialogue must be grounded in fact, in shared responsibility, and in a willingness to find solutions.”

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