Gibson Farm, Blackhillock (349 MW battery storage)
Gibson Farm, Blackhillock is a 349 MW battery storage project in Moray, Scotland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: approved on 3 December 2025, not yet built; the record was last updated on 9 January 2026. As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 27 September 2024 | Application submitted |
| 3 December 2025 | Section 36 consent granted (Scottish Ministers) |
| 3 December 2028 | Permission due to expire (unless work starts) |
Project details
- Technology
- battery storage (stand-alone storage)
- Capacity
- 349 MW
- Status (REPD)
- approved, not built
- Record last updated
- 9 January 2026
- Operator or applicant
- Noriker Power Limited
- Planning authority
- Scottish Government (S36)
- Planning application reference
- ECU00005237
- Address (REPD)
- Gibsons Farm, Blackhillock, Keith
- Council area (by location)
- Moray
- Time to decision
- 62 weeks
- Name in REPD
- Gibson Farm, Blackhillock - Battery Energy Storage System
- REPD reference
- 14283
Who decides
As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36. Scottish Government (S36) refused 18% of 334 decided solar, wind and battery applications in REPD (median 127 weeks to a decision). Across all UK planning authorities 19% of 10,236 decided applications were refused.
Other large projects within 10 km
| Project | Type | MW | Status | km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity Substation, Westerton Road | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 1.0 |
| Drum Farm | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 1.4 |
| Aultmore Forest - Buckie - Windfarm | wind farm | 106 | application submitted | 2.1 |
| Aultmore Forest - Buckie - Windfarm | battery storage | 50 | application submitted | 2.1 |
| Blackhillock Electricity Substation | battery storage | 300 | under construction | 2.7 |
| Bodinfinnoch Wind Farm | wind farm | 13.8 | refused on appeal | 3.6 |
| Edintore Wind Farm | wind farm | 18 | operational | 4.2 |
| Cairnborrow | wind farm | 10 | operational | 9.3 |
Status and dates as recorded in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract); the database is compiled from public sources and can lag behind council decisions. Location: REPD grid reference (57.5428, -2.9528).