URGENT WARNING
Plans For A Massive 86 Acre Industrial LDES Battery Storage Facility Near Thorntonhall/Busby/Jackton!
We Must Stop This Now!
SAVE OUR COMMUNITY & GREENBELT
The BESS is now on PAUSE. Apatura are likely to revert to the planned BESS if their application for the LDES is refused.
The proposed battery storage site threatens to damage our community’s landscape — and pose serious health, safety, and environmental risks.
We cannot afford to ignore this. Our community’s future is at stake.
“The Busby Jackton and Thorntonhall Community Alliance LDES Action Group and the Jackton Thorntonhall and Busby Community Councils are fighting back against this development because of the dangers it poses — from fire risks and noise to environmental damage and traffic.
While we acknowledge the importance of energy infrastructure, we believe this location is completely inappropriate and that safer,
more suitable alternative locations should be considered.”
Stand with us to prevent this project from going ahead — before it’s too late.
Together, we can STOP this threat and protect our homes, land, and safety.
Scroll down for an update on the proposals as of Feb 26.

The facilities scale poses potential fire hazards. A fire could release toxic fumes into the village & surrounding area, pollute waterways, and many acres of surrounding farmland and countryside

Local roads, particularly Waterfoot Road & Peel Road, are considered too narrow & will be overwhelmed by heavy construction traffic, destroying our rural landscape.

A persistent humming noise from the facility’s equipment is expected to impact our homes and our daily lives and routine .

The area has been worked as farmland for many years. It is home to many species of birds and animals and we have great concerns.

A massive 86 acre LDES is in planning application with OFGEM, NESO (Scotland) and the Scottish Governments Environmental Consents Unit (ECU). This is equivalent to approx 54 football pitches. The site location is considered out of character with the surrounding rural & residential environment of the Busby & Thorntonhall Green Belt

The project is located on protected greenbelt land. No alternative sites were properly considered. Community engagement has been limited and unclear with information withheld. There are many questions on the fairness and thoroughness of the rushed planning.
What is Proposed:
There are 2 proposals in place:
Proposal 1 – Busby Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) Plant
The first proposal is for a large scale 150 MW LDES battery energy storage facility.
The LDES planning application is for an 86 Acre site which is approximately half the size of Thorntonhall village and will impact on the Thorntonhall, Busby and Jackton communities.
Permission for this is currently lodged at pre-application stage with the ECU and has been shortlisted by OFGEM and NESO (Scotland).
“Proposal 2 – Meikle Dripps Farm BESS
The second proposal is for a large scale 150 MW battery energy storage facility (BESS) on an 11.4 acre site, the size of 7 football pitches. This was due to go live late summer early Autumn 2025 but has been superseded by the LDES application.
The company Apatura - who are the developers are in the pre application stage for the BESS. They now want to build an LDES however; if this planning is denied they will resume the planning for the BESS.
Both battery plant sites will be located on farm and greenbelt land owned by Meikle Dripps Farm, in the greenbelt area of Thorntonhall, and Busby.
We still need your help to prevent both LDES and the BESS (fallback option) from proceeding.
Please Sign our petition now to save our greenbelt and prevent the industrialisation of our countryside! ”
Please get friends and neighbours to send their email address to the BESS group, so we can keep everyone informed. If you have not already signed signed the petition, please do so now and share the information.
Contact Trisha from the BESS Group - number below or
email bess@thorntonhallbess.com for more details.
Helpers Needed: We also need volunteers for distributing flyers, social media and marketing. Lawyers, wildlife experts and others - your support is greatly appreciated - join us
TEL: 07760412194
