UPDATE: Unfortunately Vital Energi, now with the help of Stantec, have appealed to the Scottish Government to try and get Dundee City Councillors unanimous refusal for planning permission overturned. The case can be found here: https://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/CaseDetails.aspx?ID=127919

As of 20th November, the appeal has been registered and the planning authority have been asked for their response to the appeal. The period for interested members of the public to make representation ends on 12th December 2025. Any representations received by the deadline will be passed to the planning authority and agent/appellant for their comments. 

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/5374028/developers-behind-controversial-dundee-dighty-burn-battery-storage-plan-appeal-refusal/

Please let your thoughts on this planning proposal be known by 12th December by emailing: morven.campbell@gov.scot and/or DPEA@gov.scot.

Or alternatively you can send a letter to: Morven Campbell, Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), Ground Floor, Hadrian House, Callendar Business Park, Falkirk, FK1 1XR

UPDATE: On 11th August 2025, Dundee City Council's Planning Committee, made up of Dundee City Councillors, thankfully unanimously rejected this insane planning proposal. The official decision notice was issued on 18th August 2025.

We are Friends of Linlathen and Mid Craigie and we are a local community group with the aim of making the area a better place to live in for all.

We are opposing Vital Energi's plans to build a 49.99MW lithium Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Midmill Site beside the Dighty Burn in Dundee, Scotland. The BESS is proposed to be built beside the new East End Campus School which is due to open later this year at the old gasworks site which still houses live gas pipes and has a gas installation hub right next to it. This has raised growing and justifiable environmental and fire and flood safety concerns among local residents with the risk of fire and the environmental damage this would cause. Also, as the site will be unmanned it puts it at high risk of vandalism as there have have been lots of incidences of fires along the Dighty Burn over the years.

The planned location's land connects with Drumgeith Park which is historically known for regularly flooding as it is on a floodplain. When lithium batteries come into contact with water they often catch fire and explode, and as water accelerates the lithium fire, it makes it practically impossible to extinguish the fire. If these lithium batteries were to be built on this floodplain coupled with the site having live gas running through the pipes there and the gas installation hub right beside it, this is a catastrophe waiting to happen and there would be little chance of emergency services putting the explosion out due to the location and hazard risk due to the toxic chemicals and gas.

Building a BESS in such close proximity to a high school raises serious safety concerns for the pupils and staff due to the risk of electrical fires and risk of thermal runway where the batteries heat themselves up and keep getting hotter with no way of cooling them down with the heat spiralling out of control and often up to temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius. Not only would the children at the local school be affected, but so would local residents and the impact this would have on the environment would be absolutely devastating.

The Dighty Burn is a haven for many species of wildlife including the famous heron, kingfishers, otters, scottish water voles, foxes and deer alongside many other birds including buzzards, owls and sparrowhawks. It also provides a vast ecological system for many species of insects including bees, butterflies, dragonflies and many more. Building a BESS at this particular location would put them all at risk.

The developers Vital Energi have said that they can only build on 25% of the land (owned by SGN) due to severe flooding, and that the existing building at the site cannot be used due to safety reasons of having live electric with the flood risk, which makes building a BESS on this site a ridiculously dangerous idea.

The planning application has now been lodged with Dundee City Council and has been validated as of 4th February 2025, we urge you to submit objections which can only be submitted until 25th of February 2025, extended until 7th of March 2025 due to this being the last advertisement expiry date (see under important dates tab).

Click the following link to make an objection:

https://idoxwam.dundeecity.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=SOXSXXGCHQB00

Please remember that your objection will need to be for a valid reason such as flood and fire risk, concerns for children at the local school, damage/pollution to the local environment etc, not just because you do not want a BESS to be built.

We demand sincere commitment to safety and environmental consciousness from our decision-makers as the risks of this project greatly outweigh the benefits. Therefore, we urge the local authority to reject the proposed BESS construction on this floodplain due to the known flood risks. 

Please support us by signing and sharing this petition.

The safety of our children, residents and the environment is our priority. 

Thank you.

If you can offer any additional support please contact us by email: linlathenandmidcraigie@gmail.com