Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has raised Scotton residents’ concerns in Parliament over two major energy developments proposed for the village – a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and a solar farm with an additional BESS opposite.
During his summer tour of the constituency, Tom met with residents in Scotton who shared their worries about the projects. The main concerns include the safety risks of BESS sites, the impact of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) cutting through the village, the loss of farmland, and the proximity of increased traffic to the local primary school.
Back in Parliament, Tom immediately took these concerns forward, stressing that while residents are pragmatic about renewable energy, serious questions remain about the planning process and community safety. In particular, villagers are concerned about the fact large HGVs will be forced down narrow rural roads not suited to such traffic. Developers themselves anticipate around 2,150 two-way HGV movements over nine months during construction.
This risk is made worse by the fact that these vehicles would pass directly through the village, including outside the local school, where children cross daily from the car park opposite – without the safety of a pedestrian crossing.
Understanding residents’ concerns, Tom made clear in Parliament that there needs to be a more common-sense approach to how these issues are handled in rural communities – one that properly considers safety, infrastructure, and the impact on local people.
Earlier in May, he also spoke in Parliament on the need for proper safety measures for battery storage sites, stressing that these facilities must be well-regulated to protect local communities. He also submitted an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to make fire authorities statutory consultees on all planning applications for Battery Energy Storage Solutions.
Commenting, Tom said:
While I recognise the importance of renewable energy in supporting the UK’s net-zero goals and welcome sustainable initiatives, it is crucial that the safety and wellbeing of local communities are not compromised.
During my summer tour of the constituency, I spoke with residents from Scotton who raised concerns around traffic, school safety, and the loss of farmland – issues that must be taken seriously.
