Rothienorman, Middleton of Blackhills (500 MW battery storage)
Rothienorman, Middleton of Blackhills is a 500 MW battery storage project in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Its status in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (July 2026 extract) is: application submitted on 14 July 2025, no decision recorded; the record was last updated on 13 October 2025. As a project over 50 MW in Scotland, it is decided by Scottish Ministers under Section 36.
Planning timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 14 July 2025 | Application submitted |
Project details
- Technology
- battery storage (stand-alone storage)
- Capacity
- 500 MW
- Status (REPD)
- application submitted
- Record last updated
- 13 October 2025
- Operator or applicant
- Blackford Renewables Limited
- Planning authority
- Scottish Government (S36)
- Planning application reference
- ECU00006121
- Address (REPD)
- NE/O Rothienorman, Middleton of Blackhills, Aberdeen
- Council area (by location)
- Aberdeenshire
- Name in REPD
- Rothienorman, Middleton of Blackhills - BESS
- REPD reference
- 18504
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | battery storage | 49.9 | refused | 4.9 |
| Rothienorman | battery storage | 49.9 | approved, not built | 6.1 |
| Overhill Farm, Rothienorman | battery storage | 49.9 | under construction | 8.0 |
| Middleton Of Blackhills, Rothienorman | battery storage | 49.9 | application submitted | 8.0 |
| Redhill Farms | wind farm | 6 | refused | 9.4 |
| Mains of Cairnbrogie | wind farm | 9.2 | refused on appeal | 9.7 |
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 (57.3726, -2.4014).