To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update planning guidance for battery energy storage systems. (S6O-04077)

Where new development proposals come forward, our fourth national planning framework, which was published and adopted in 2023, ensures that the impacts of proposals on communities and nature are important considerations in the decision-making process.

On 5 November, the National Energy System Operator published advice to the United Kingdom Government on how to achieve clean power by 2030. At the same time, NESO also published a consultation on connections queue reform, and the UK Government is due to publish a clean power action plan. The outputs of that work will be considered in due course.

At present, 18 battery sites are operational and a further 18 are under construction. Planning permission has been granted for 132 sites, where construction is awaited, and applications for planning permission have been submitted for a further 136 sites. The situation is completely out of control. One developer told us that there is a gold rush to get applications for battery sites into the planning process before the Scottish National Party Government puts controls in place.

Will the Government consider a moratorium on new applications until we have an energy strategy and can evaluate how many battery sites are required and where?

It is important to say that there is a statutory structure that must be followed in all decision making in the planning system. Section 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 requires that decisions must be made in accordance with the development plan.

I understand the point that the member makes about cumulative impacts. The cumulative impacts of development, including landscape, visual and amenity impacts, are important considerations in the determination of applications, where such impacts are identified.