Old nuclear plant hopes to play key hydrogen role

The old nuclear plant site hopes to play a key role in developing hydrogen technology

A former nuclear power plant in Dumfries and Galloway is aiming to play a leading role in the development of hydrogen technology in Scotland.

It hopes to benefit from a new national "planning hub" to help fast-track local authority decisions on projects across Scotland which is due to open in Livingston.

It will initially focus on improving consenting speed for hydrogen developments until March 2025.

Minister for Public Finance Ivan McKee unveiled the plans during a visit to the former nuclear power plant at Chapelcross, near Annan which is being developed as a green energy park.

He said: "Communities across Scotland benefit from a planning system that is efficient, effective and well-resourced."

Chapelcross is the site of a multi-million pound, net-zero focused development which includes plans for hydrogen production storage, advanced manufacturing, and energy and enterprise campuses.

Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council Gail MacGregor, said: "We have a huge amount of innovation here - we are at the forefront of green energy.

"The possibilities for this site are going to be immense and to enable that we are going to have to have a good planning and infrastructure system in place."

South of Scotland Enterprise chief executive Jane Morrison-Ross, said there was already a waiting list of companies wanting to come to Chapelcross.

She said it included a "mixture of inward investors but also local entrepreneurs who are developing solutions in this space".

The Scottish government said it hoped the planning hub in Livingston would be open in the next few months.